We were all glued to our screens watching England get close to winning the UEFA European Football Championship, and many of us will be hoping to recreate the magic of Bellingham, Saka and Kane in our own back gardens.
Step one is a football, of course, but right up there on the list of garden football essentials is a garden football goal. Whether your family takes turns to be the striker, the defender or the goalkeeper, a sturdy, reliable and attractive football goal in pride of place in your garden is a summer staple.
But which one should you buy? Take into account whether you’re a football fanatic who’ll be using it daily, or whether this will be an occasional accessory on a sunny day. If it’s the former, you’ll want to invest a bit more in something seriously sturdy that can withstand the toughest of penalty kicks.
If you’re more of a rare football fan, you’ll likely want an unobtrusive football goal that’s either subtle enough to blend into your garden year-round or that can be folded away when not in use. If you prefer to play football in your local park, consider a goal that’s easy to pop up and down, and that comes with a carry bag included for easy transportation and storage.
Depending on who’ll be using it, there are different aspects to consider when shopping for the best garden goals. If you have young children, you might consider one with bright goalposts and round, safe edges to avoid any injuries while getting to grips with the sport. If the main users will be teens or adults, opt for a sturdier goal that is strong enough to handle any hard kicks of the ball. Bear in mind that goals come in several sizes, so take your measuring tape into the garden before buying one to get a sense of which size will work best for your outdoor space.
Here are the football goals we rated after trying each one out with testers of all ages. We considered ease of assembly and their aesthetic appearance and took into account handy USPs such as portability or added extras such as included carry bags.
Best garden football goals at a glance:
- Best for good looks: Decathlon Kipsta Size M Football Goal SG 500 - £69.99, Decathlon
- Best for recreating that football club feel: 6 x 4 Forza Football Goal Post - £49.99, Amazon
- Best for young football fans: Fisher-Price Junior Football Goal - £34.99, The Toy Shop
- Best for size: ASDA 8ft x 6ft Steel Soccer Goal - £40, ASDA
- Best for portability: Forza Flash Square Pop-Up Football Goal - £19.99, Amazon
- Best for flexibility: 6 x 4 Forza Proflex Pop Up Football Goal - £80.99, Net World Sports
- Best for a good all-rounder: ASDA 4ft x 6ft Steel Soccer Goal - £30, ASDA
- Best for affordability: Kickmaster Premier Goal - £25.99, Amazon
- Best for babies and toddlers: Early Learning Centre Pop Up Football Goal - £18, Early Learning Centre
Decathlon Kipsta Size M Football Goal SG 500
Best for: Good looks
If not everyone in your home is an avid football fan, and you’re looking for a goal that will look attractive in your garden without turning it into a mini replica of Wembley Stadium, this is a fantastic option. Available in three colours - dark blue and orange, white and dark blue and ultra white and dark blue - the goal has a sporty, athletic look that will sit nicely alongside smart garden furniture.
The goal doesn’t just look good, though - it’s super easy to assemble, with no screws or tools necessary, and once built, it’s sturdy enough to withstand the strongest of penalty kicks thanks to its non-slip pads. It’s also got the makeup to survive in the British weather, with an abrasion-resistant steel material that will look good even after a rainy winter.
If you’re after something smaller or larger, this particular goal is available in sizes small or large too - but for the average football fan, we found this goal to be the perfect size for all ages to enjoy.
Buy now £69.99, Decathlon
Forza 6 x 4 Football Goal Post
Best for: Recreating that football club feel
A football goal that’s proud to be a football goal: that’s what you’re getting with this large, bright white goalpost that’s ideal for kids. The colour is perfect for recreating that stadium look in your garden, while the uPVC frame is seriously weatherproof so your children can practice their free kicks, corners and penalties year-round.
The locking system makes it a doddle to put together and also makes sure it’s securely connected to withstand the strongest of shots. It’s also extremely lightweight and easy to carry around the garden. The goal comes with net clips and anchor pegs to keep everything in place, while the goal net is also made from all-weather material to ensure longevity.
Buy now £50.00, Amazon
Fisher-Price Junior Football Goal
Best for: Young football fans
If you have young children at home who are already showing an interest in the beautiful game, this adorable football goal is the perfect purchase to encourage their love of the sport. With safe, rounded, bright blue sides and a white frame and net, the goal is bright enough to command your child’s attention without being garish and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
It’s recommended for ages two and up, and our mini-testers certainly enjoyed not just throwing and kicking balls into the goal, but also pretending it was a tent. A brilliant buy to help little ones develop their coordination and motor skills.
Buy now £34.99, The Toy Shop
ASDA 8ft x 6ft Steel Soccer Goal
Best for: Size
For all the would-be goalkeepers who want to channel their inner Jordan Pickford and spend hours upon hours perfecting their goal-saving techniques, you’ll need to challenge yourself with a large enough goal, and the ASDA 8ft x 6ft Steel Soccer Goal is the perfect way to do that. The biggest goal in our round-up makes saving penalties that much harder and raises the stakes of your garden footie games.
It’s plain white to blend into your garden, and sturdy to boot, with ground anchors included to allow for plenty of boisterous games of football. A great option for kids, teens and adults to enjoy - and it’s affordably priced too.
Buy now £40.00, ASDA
Forza Flash Square Pop-Up Football Goal
Best for: Portability
One of the great things about football is that it can be played in so many places: in your garden, in the park, on the beach or in a hall. If you’re looking for a portable goal that you can carry with you and easily build and dismantle, the Forza Flash Square Pop-Up Football Goal is an ideal option.
Available as a single goal or in a pair, the lightweight pop-up goal is easy to build, and includes a carry bag for easy transportation wherever you need it. Once you’ve assembled it, it’s easy to set up again, as it simply pops open. Four ground stakes are included to allow the goal to withstand plenty of force.
We love the eye-catching yellow netting and black trim, and the fact it’s so easy to fold away, making it ideal for kids who want the option of a goal but whose parents don’t want it permanently in the garden. At 4 x 3 feet, it’s on the smaller side, so it could also be used for other sports such as hockey or lacrosse.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
Forza 6 x 4 Proflex Pop Up Football Goal
Best for: Flexibility
If you’re after a sizeable goal but don’t want it in your garden year-round, the Forza Proflex Pop Up Football Goal is the one for you. The goal is generously sized at 6 by 4 feet, but can be folded away thanks to its telescopic frame and snap-button assembly, and pops up just as easily in less than two minutes without any tools.
Despite its lightweight build, this goal feels really sturdy and withstood plenty of hard shots from our group of testers. It also comes with a carry bag in case you want to take it out of the house with you. Its simple white and black colour scheme is aesthetically neutral if you want to leave it in your garden for a longer period, plus the rubber feet mean the goal won’t damage the ground and can be used indoors too.
Buy now £80.99, Net World Sports
ASDA 4ft x 6ft Steel Soccer Goal
Best for: A good all-rounder
Easy to assemble? Check. Easy on the wallet? Check. Easy on the eyes? Check. This 4ft x 6ft steel soccer goal from trusty ASDA has lots going for it, all at a budget-friendly price. It’s quick to assemble, a good size for the average garden, and in bright white, is attractive too.
It comes with ground anchors to increase its sturdiness and withstood plenty of penalty kicks from our testers with no problem. It’s a perfect all-rounder for those who want a garden goal that won’t cost the earth, but that is large and sturdy enough to withstand dramatic garden games all year round.
Buy now £30.00, ASDA
Kickmaster Premier Goal
Best for: Affordability
For a budget-friendly yet sizeable football goal, look no further than the Kickmaster Premier Goal. With an eye-catching yellow frame and a generous 6-foot size, this is a well-priced option that will enable your kids to practice their penalties without breaking the bank. It’s available in three larger sizes too.
It’s a great lightweight option, and its thin frame means it’s an unobtrusive addition to the garden that is easy to move around. It comes with anchor pegs to help it stay in the ground, and its paint finish is rust-resistant to help it last throughout the winter.
Buy now £25.99, Amazon
Early Learning Centre Pop Up Football Goal
Best for: Babies and toddlers
Football is a game that appeals to people of all ages, including tiny tots, who will love the challenge of kicking balls into this pop-up football goal from the Early Learning Centre. This is perfect for immediate fun, as there’s no assembly required at all: simply unfold and the goal pops up straight away ready to play with. It comes with a carry bag and handles so you can fold it away and take it to the park or for playdates out of the house.
Our tiny team of testers thoroughly enjoyed kicking balls into it - and for those with a strong right foot who are on the way to Premiership glory, there are two ground pegs included to keep the goal sturdy and in place.
Buy now £18.00, The Toy Shop
Verdict
When it comes to size, appearance, sturdiness and ease of build, our winner had to be the Decathlon Kipsta Size M Football Goal SG 500, which will look great in your garden year-round and weather the toughest of penalty kicks. We also loved the 6 x 4 Forza Proflex Pop Up Football Goal, which gives you the flexibility of a large sturdy goal that can also be put away when you’re not using it.
