School FootGolf festivals bring low-pressure play to primary pupils

Two primary school FootGolf festivals used a format in which players kick a ball from a teeing zone into a hole in as few kicks as possible, giving pupils a competition they could understand quickly and play without a long technical ramp-up. The sport’s rulebook, created in 2012, also puts courtesy, sportsmanship, minimal supervision and pace of play at the centre of the game, which makes it a natural fit for mixed-ability school groups.

FootGolf sits between football and golf, but it does not ask children to master either sport before they can join in. A pupil who may not connect with school football drills or a traditional golf lesson can still step into a teeing zone, aim for a green-zone hole and compete on equal footing with classmates. The format is simple enough for children to pick up in minutes, yet structured enough to reward accuracy, patience and repeated attempts.

FIFG is running a Youth FootGolf World Cup in 2026, with participation limited to players who meet the official age-eligibility criteria. The qualification framework is built to promote equal opportunities for boys and girls and to support long-term youth development.

The FootGolf Association of England CIC, the official England member of FIFG and Great Britain FootGolf, wants to develop both social and competitive FootGolf while encouraging more golf courses to open their gates to the sport. That creates a route from a school festival to clubs, courses and more formal competition if children want to keep playing.

FIFG says the 2026 world championship in Acapulco, Mexico, will run over 12 days and bring together 1,240 players and 64 teams. Germany will host the Youth World Cup 2026, with each FIFG member country receiving one spot per category and additional places tied to youth licences in 2025 and 2026.