Children’s Football Week acts as a reminder to parents, guardians, carers, facilitators, coaches, teachers and volunteers, that the children’s game does not have to branded, expensive, associated or dominated by adults. It is a simple fun game when played by children. It is a fun game owned by children. There is little room for the rules of a game that determines greed, aggression and win at all costs. It is time we reclaimed the children’s game.
2024
THE CFA are inviting you to take part in an online chat on the subject of children’s football for FREE. How much does it cost to play: kits, subs, travel and facilitate a game of children’s football in 2024. The chat will be recorded 7.30pm Thursday 16th May to help promote the CFA’s annual FREE v FREE week, starts Monday 5th July 2024. If you are interested to take part email us at info@thecfa.co.uk
FREE v FREE
2023
Children’s Football Week is an annual event which generally takes place in the last week of school term: parks, playing fields and school playgrounds are the stadiums! A ball and jumpers for goal posts; no need to pay to play. FREE v FREE. Our role as adults is to encourage children to organise their own games and loosely supervise how best to celebrate the game through FUN.
2023 FREE v FREE
Children’s Football
Friday 21st JULY to Friday 28th JULY
Please send us your clips, pics, and stories of what you did on FREE v FREE week: info@thecfa.co.uk
FREE v FREE
FOOTBALL UNITED
2022
Children’s Football Week is and annual event which generally takes place in the last week of school term: parks, playing fields and school playgrounds are the stadiums! A ball and jumpers for goal posts; no need to pay to play. FREE v FREE. This year is the Children’s World Cup. Our role as adults is to encourage children to organise their own games and loosely supervise how best to celebrate the game through fair play. CLICK HERE
2022 FREE v FREE
Children’s Football
Week 17th June to 2nd JULY
Each year we hold FREE football events for children where they PLAY football and referee their own games.
Last year we had a major event at Cirencester Town FC’s indoor arena before The CFA’s charity game on the main pitch.
We also had events in Liverpool and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
With the current Covid 19 crisis we are unable to put on any large organised events but still want you to take part, maybe in your back garden, courtyard, park or open space.
Taking into consideration social distancing and who is in your family group what can you do?
Well apart from the convention kick about here are some suggestions.
Penalty Shootout. (for one or more players)
We all love a penalty shootout, taking turns to take a penalty and be in goal. But if there is only one of you, be creative and put something in goal to represent the keeper and perhaps take the penalty from a little further back than normal.
Football skittles (for one or more players)
Use something for skittles such as up turned plastic flowerpots. Who can knock the most down in 3 tries? Make up the rules to suit your group and equipment.
Football golf (for one or more players)
This is a great game to play. You can use garden canes as the golf flags and with a ball each see who can go around the course in the least amount of kicks. Depending how much space you have will determine the number of flags you have. If you just have the one flag, use the same flag several times. If you are by yourself see if you can beat, your previous score.
Ball and a wall (for one or more players)
Kick a ball against the wall and without letting it stop, the next person must kick it and so on. The person who is left wins. If you are playing by yourself count how many times you kick the ball against the wall without stopping it and try to beat your last score.
Please send us your videos, pictures, and stories of what you did to: info@thecfa.co.uk
2019 FREE v FREE
National Children’s Football
Week 19th to 28th JULY
BAFTA AWARD WINNING
This Country (and Friends) XI v Cirencester Town Veterans XI
FREE v FREE in CIRENCESTER
CIRENCESTER TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB hosted a Free v Free session for local boys and girls. The event was the first of its kind at the club which many parents congratulated them for organising the event. Over a hundred children turned up for the kick about during the open door event which was facilitated in the club’s state of the art indoor facilities.
‘My son finds it difficult to take part in club football due to his special needs so this event is perfect. It allows him to play with his friends in a club environment and that makes him feel special.’ Parent.
‘I can’t afford club football for my child. When I spotted the poster for this event online I brought my daughter and her mates, it was there first time visiting our local club. It was great.’ Mum to Sophie
FREE v FREE in BELFAST
Tim Wareing, T W Sports (NCFA Northern Ireland Project Manager) wrote, We had a great night and the rain only arrived at the end! Captured some nice photos. Had to laugh at Argentinian ‘Gopi’ with the facial expression in his photo!!! Coach Craig captured it well. I managed to get one of the skillful Canadian boy shooting which turned out well.
We had over 30 boys and girls that included children from both sides of the community, Protestant & Catholic. We had a boy from Cambridge, Canada & brother & sister from Malaysia.
In was a fun packed event with all the children and parents, enjoying the essence of football – FREE.
A CELEBRATION OF A GAME WITHOUT FRONTIERS
2018 FREE v FREE
National Children’s Football Week in partnership with Don’t X The Line, was hosted by Park Brow Community Primary School, Kirkby, Liverpool. The event raises the profile of the children’s game and the importance to protect childhood through play. Children enjoyed the event and their parents along with the teachers found it informative and fun’. – Click here to watch film
2017 FREE v FREE
‘Liverpool nurtures Free v Free, not as a brand or a way to cash in on poor communities, but as a voice for the power of play in a national climate of football egos’, said a parent from Kirkby. David Ramzan, NCFA SEN Officer, said, ‘Although Kent now has one of the largest Pan-disability football leagues in the country, many youngsters with SEN/disabilities are still not able to access football simply because of travel restrictions and distance from venues where SEN/Disability league football is played. Click to watch the films
2015 FREE v FREE
The National Children’s Football Week events up and down the country continue to remind the public that football is for fun. At the end of the school year and the start of the summer break is a perfect time for the children’s game to take centre stage. As the adults’ game takes a quick gulp of breath before it starts pounding the headlines again the children’s game can find a place in the calendar to celebrate free play in format and application. Click to watch the films
2014 FREE v FREE
What connects a Powerleague 5-a side centre in the shadow of Wembley stadium (picture left) with a field on the other side of the world, over looked by a volcano in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand? You could not get a greater contrast between the two venues. The Powerleague venue in one of the richest, football mad cities on the planet and a school field in rural Putauaki. The school is mainly home to the indigenous Maori people and rugby is the main sport.. Click to watch the films
2012 FREE v FREE
National Children’s Football Week (NCFW) wants to raise the profile of all the good work undertaken by organisations that use football as a vehicle to help communities be a better place. NCFW is as much about having fun as it is about highlighting the children’s game. We want the world to know that all children can play a game of football without the stress related issues so often impinged upon their game. Read article here