Your Guide to Throwing Football Themed Parties

Deemed the most popular team sport in America, Football is much awaited by anyone, regardless of whether they’re into sports. There are many opportunities to watch football, from high school matches and NCAA college games to the much-awaited Super Bowl! If you and your friends are huge fans of the sport or at least venturing into a new hobby, you can use any Football match or game to throw a fantastic gathering! There are plenty of reasons to throw a football-themed party so your group can enjoy the game even more.

If you’re planning to throw a football-themed party, there isn’t a lot of preparation needed as your guests will most likely be focusing on the game itself. However, you must consider significant aspects: decorations, food, and drinks! Here are some ideas on how to wing your football-themed party:

Hand holding the remote for the flat screen TV with chips and beer on the table 

Ideas for Decorations 

1. Football tableware

You would want to create a competitive atmosphere while watching a game, with guests supporting opposing teams. If this is the case, you can purchase items for the table in the opposing team’s colors. You can have plates, cups, cutlery, napkins, coasters, and even tablecloths in either team color. You can consider a more generic football theme for the colors if you’re all supporting the same team. You should consider going all out on the tableware as it can add an element of fun, a pop of color, and sets your theme!\

2. Display a pennant banner

Any sports-related party wouldn’t be complete without some banners! Pennant banners are synonymous with football, so you can count on these banners to set the tone you’re going for the party. You can hang banners in the color of the team you are supporting! You can also DIY them with felt and string, and other added decorations to make the colors pop. If you’re going for a more relaxed vibe, you can use a generic football pennant banner that you can reuse for future football-watching parties! 

3. Foam fingers

If you’re already committed to the football theme, why not use props that deliberately scream “football,” like foam fingers? Football watchers get all riled up for cheering and calling for the teams they support when they have these props. Even if you and your guests are not watching the game live, you can feel the arena with foam fingers! They’re also great for fantastic photos your guests can post on Instagram. 

There are a lot of colors for foam fingers to choose from online or from a physical store. You can choose a more generic one that screams, “We’re #1!”. If you’re going for something quirky and bright, you can get foam fingers with LED lights!

Group of guys on the couch watching football while holding foam fingers 

4. Balloons

You can also have balloons to create that “party feels”! This decor can make guests feel they’re at a real party and not just coming over to watch the game. Balloons are not necessary, but these can help liven up the place. You can use simple latex balloons of the same colors as your theme and tie them together. You may want to use football balloons to complement your table set-up or the decorations. If you want to go all-out for the photos, you can spice up the party with a football-themed balloon arch! 

Ideas for Food 

1. Prepare finger foods

When holding a football-themed party with a long-watching party, finger food is the key to ensuring your guests stay full. While your guests are watching the TV, you can expect that they will be standing, yelling, and cursing because every time, the ball falls on a different team. Your guests would want to avoid sitting down to a multi-course meal that requires their full attention, manners, and even silverware. Serve them food items that are easy to grab! 

You can serve your finger foods on football trays. You can expect your guests to like munching on chips, pretzels, and cookies while watching the game. If you plan to serve nachos, you can do dips like sour cream or cheese in this party dish. Make sure to keep disposable snack bags on the table so people can fill them and take them over the TV while enjoying the game. 

2. Prepare some Tater tots skewers

Preparing tater tots on skewers is a great way to serve good food without getting your guests’ hands messy! You can bake tater tots according to the instructions on the packaging, let them cool, and arrange them on skewers horizontally. You can even sprinkle ranch dressing over them, along with some bits of bacon and shredded cheddar cheese. If you place them into the oven for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese fully melts, you can achieve that golden color and even a cheesy filling. These skewers are best served with a ranch dip, so prepare this. People are going to love your Tater tots skewers!

3. Serve popcorn

You can serve individual servings of popcorn on football-inspired popcorn boxes to make sure that there’s enough popcorn for everyone. Most of the time, guests can get a little agitated when the play becomes intense, so make sure to have excellent and big boxes for the popcorn. If you put popcorn on their plates or boxes, guests don’t have to get some themselves from the table and can focus on the game!

Group of friends closely watching the game with popcorn served on the table

4. Prepare some desserts

You don’t have to be a legit baker to whip up some brownies. You can make a batch of brownies using brownie mix and pour them into cupcake tins so they are round. You can even put some white icing to make football lines down the middle and some cool brownies!

Aside from brownies, cupcakes can also be a great addition to your food menu. You can put some toppers on your cupcakes to fit your theme or put them in football-themed cupcake liners or cupcake wrappers! If you have more time to prepare, you can also make some pudding. Although pudding is a favorite for kids, adults would love to see pudding as well! You can make some football-themed pudding cups for everyone by decorating the cups with white football lines using white paint pens or white icing.  

Ideas for Drinks 

1. Set up a goalpost drinks station

You can have a beverage station by setting up a cooler for the football theme. You can set up cans of beer, cola, or juice in this cooler, and your guests can get their cans from the cooler at any point in the game.

2. Serve some cold beer

On game day, you can always go with a fridge or cooler full of cold beer! Most football watchers like having a beer while watching the game. You can even support your local breweries by ordering larger orders for your party. Make sure to use football beer mugs or beer glasses for drinking with your guests!

Group of friends jumping in joy with bottled beers in their hands 
3. Prepare your drinks in football mason jar cups

Whether your guests are into alcohol or not, you can upgrade your cups by transforming mason jar mugs into football mugs. All you have to do is cut some football lines on sticker paper and stick them to mason jars! After doing so, you have mugs perfect for the occasion. It’s best to fill these mugs with brown-colored drinks like iced tea, Coke, or even beer to stay true to football colors!

You can best enjoy football with your friends and loved ones. If you’re planning on watching a game by your favorite team, you might consider hosting a football-themed party with your friends! You can always go back to this and look at some of the best ideas to consider.