Fun Soccer Mini-games to Play With Friends

Expert section: Mate Kontra – I’ve played soccer at a very high level all my life. Throughout my time playing, I’ve been coached by ex-pro, D1, and Academy level coaches, currently playing at the MLS-Next level. My friends and I have played together for fun countless times, and we have come up with the most fun and easily playable minigames that you can play with your friends. 

Shooting free kicks or attempting trick shots can get repetitive and boring very quickly while just having fun and playing soccer with friends

It’s difficult to come up with new games to play on the spot without talking over each other trying to come up with the rules. 

Not to mention all of the gear that is required for most games that you can play with friends. 

To help you out, we have come up with a list of the most fun minigames that you can play with your friends, from experience. 

Related article: 6 Best Soccer Tactics For Pickup Soccer

The 7 Most Fun Soccer Mini-games to Play with Friends

Since all of these games are the most fun when there is some competition among the players, feel free to think of funny forfeits or punishments that the losers have to do. 

These will make the minigames more exciting because there is something on the line that players have to play well to avoid. 

In my experience, coming up with something humorous that the losers had to do made the experience better and everyone enjoyed it more. 

So with that out of the way, let’s get on with the list!

#1: World Cup

There are many different variations and names for the World Cup minigame. 

The World Cup version is made up of teams that consist of one, two, or even three players. 

You should have at least 4 teams to play for it to be fun, and maybe even a goalkeeper. 

All teams are trying to score on the same goal and if a team scores then they qualify for the next round.

Every team that scores has to sit out until there is only one team left that hasn’t qualified. 

Now, usually, there is also a goalkeeper. 

The team that scores first has to become the goalkeeper until the round ends. 

Alternatively, you can have just a designated goalkeeper if someone wants to have that job. 

In the case that there is no goalkeeper, the only way teams can score is by hitting the side net. 

Shots are not allowed from inside the 6-yard box if you have a goalkeeper, and after possession changes, the team that has the ball has to clear it outside of the 18-yard box before shooting. 

If you don’t have a goalkeeper then shots are only allowed from outside of the 18-yard box. 

So in short, here are the rules:

• General:
  • At least 4 teams (most fun with 2 per team)
  • Qualify for the next round by scoring
  • If you qualify, you have to sit out for the rest of the round
  • The first team to qualify becomes the goalkeeper
• Shooting:
  • Without Goalkeeper:
    • Can only shoot from outside of the 18-yard box 
    • Teams score by hitting the side net
  • With Goalkeeper
    • Can’t shoot from inside of the 6-yard box
    • Clear the ball outside of the 18-yard box before shooting 

This game is honestly one of the best games that you can play because it has friendly competition, it gives a feeling of achievement by winning, and it also allows a larger group of people to play. 

#2: Soccer Tennis

Soccer tennis is the most fun when played on an actual tennis court with a net between the two sides. 

This minigame is mostly a test of each other’s touch and juggling skills to see who is the best. 

It’s the most fun when there is no touch limit so there is no pressure applied from the game itself. 

When played in teams of two the pressure from each other makes it incredibly difficult not to laugh while you have the ball, making the game more fun and interesting. 

Here is the list of the rules:

• Use only the small rectangles of the tennis court
• 1 bounce is allowed during a serve (2 attempts for each service)
• 1 bounce is allowed during every turn
• The ball can’t be spiked from a serve
• 1 pass is allowed between teammates during every turn

Though many tennis courts do not allow any other sport to be played on the courts except for tennis. 

In this case, the game can also be played on turf or grass, but it’s better on a hard surface. 

All you need is a couple of shoes, water bottles, or bags to create two rectangles side by side for each player. 

Also, for this variation, it is better to have smaller rectangles with only two players playing against each other at a time. 

When playing without a net, the same rules apply with the only difference being that spiking the ball is not allowed at all, and all passes have to cross the line at knee height or higher. 

So just to be clear, here are the rules for Soccer Tennis without a net:

• Create 2 rectangles adjacent to each other to mark the court
• 1 bounce is allowed during a serve (2 attempts for each service)
• 1 bounce is allowed during every turn
• 1 pass is allowed between teammates during every turn
• No Spiking Allowed
• The ball crosses the line at knee height or higher

The winner is the person who has the most wins after everyone played everyone else. 

#3: 2-Touch

The 2-touch minigame is a very popular game that only requires 3 players but is more fun with additional people. 

First is the goalkeeper, the second is the shooter on top of the 18-yard box, and the third player is next to the goal with several soccer balls.

The player next to the goal will give an aerial pass to the player at the top of the box, who will have only 2 touches to take a shot. 

So essentially they have to receive the ball with one touch, and then shoot it with their second touch. 

Unlimited time is provided for the shooting player, so if their touch takes them 30 yards away from the goal, then they have to take a shot from 30 yards away which is what makes it fun. 

Here are the rules:

• The shooting player limited to 2 touches
• Infinite time for the shooting player
• Not allowed to shoot from closer than the penalty mark
• A bad pass grants a second attempt

Usually, 5 attempts are given, and the person who scores the most from the 5 attempts wins the round. 

You can also make different variations by using only the weak foot, volleys, or trick shots. 

Juggling 2-touch

There is also another type of 2-touch game out there, which is more so used for training purposes, but it can also be used as a minigame with friends. 

Specifically, when you only have one partner this is a fun minigame. 

It is very simple but difficult at the same time. 

The ball has to be juggled and passed to each other in the air, without the ball touching the ground, but both of you only have 2 touches to do so. 

The first touch is to receive the ball, and the second touch is to pass it to your partner, and the winnter is the person who drops the ball the least amount of times.

Here are the rules in short:

• Juggle the ball between two people
• Only 2 touches per turn
• Ball can’t touch the ground
• The person who drops the ball the most loses

This game is also very similar to soccer tennis, it’s just much more difficult since all of the bounces are eliminated. 

I recommend playing this minigame for training purposes because though it’s fun, it’s also very challenging and requires a lot of focus. 

#4: Net Only

Net Only is one of the minigames on this list that is more fun with a lot of people. 

Essentially, everyone takes turns shooting the ball from progressively further distances without the ball touching the ground, hitting the net first. 

If you hit the net with your shot before the ball touches the ground then you have made it to the next round, and if the ball hits the ground then you’re eliminated.

Retries are only allowed if the ball hits the posts or the crossbar.  

The winner is the person who can hit the net with their shot from the longest distance. 

Here are the rules in short:

• Every player shoots the ball at the net once per turn
• Qualify for the next round by hitting the net first
• If the ball hits the ground you’re out
• If the ball hits the crossbar or the posts, you get a retry
• Here is the distance progression:
  • Goal line
  • 6-yard box
  • Penalty marker
  • 18-yard box
  • 25-yard marker
  • Half-field

#5 Crossbar challenge

The most popular game by far is the crossbar challenge. 

It is very similar to the previous minigame, Net Only, because it involves players taking shots from progressively farther distances and trying to hit the crossbar. 

The difference is that instead of aiming for the back of the net, the crossbar becomes the target. 

Here are the rules:

• Every player shoots the ball at the net once per turn
• Qualify for the next round by hitting the crossbar
• If you don’t hit the crossbar you’re out
• Here is the distance progression:
  • Goal line
  • 6-yard box
  • Penalty marker
  • 18-yard box
  • 25-yard marker

The crossbar challenge is also used to break a tie or whenever there is a disagreement, because of the phrase “ball don’t lie”. 

What this means is that if the person who shoots the ball hits the crossbar, then they are correct and the other person is wrong. 

But in this case, only one attempt is allowed from the top of the 18-yard box, with no retries. 

#6: 4-Square 

4-square is a very close contender for first place in being the most fun, with World Cup. 

It is a fast-paced game, with 1 large square divided into 4 equal squares. 

Each of these squares will have one player standing in them, and players progress in a clockwise rotation as they are eliminated.

Once you have rotated 3 times, then you reach the last square, known as the king’s square. 

If you are in the king’s square for more than 3 rounds, then you get a point.

The person who reaches 3 points the fastest is the winner. 

How to play

So let’s move on to how the game works. 

The person in the king’s square always starts with the ball, with a service. 

They have to kick it into another square in the air, below head height. 

The person in this square is allowed one bounce with the ball before they have to pass it, and they have unlimited touches on the ball. 

If the ball bounces twice, or outside of the playing area, then the person who touched it last is eliminated.

Eliminated players will form a line to the square to get back into the game when someone is eliminated. 

Here are the rules in short:

• 4 squares in 1 big square
• 1 Player per square
• The person in the king square serves
• All passes in the air, below head height & above knee height
• 1 bounce per square
• Unlimited touches
• No spiking

This game is more fun when played on a hard surface, such as concrete or a basketball court, however, it can still be played on turf or grass. 

#7: Battlefield  

The minigame called Battle Field is very similar to the game of dodgeball.

There are two teams, the runners and the shooters. 

During each round, the runners will have to run from one side of the 18-yard box to the other, along the goal line. 

The shooters will be lined up along the top of the 18-yard box with at least one ball per person, and as the runners run across the box, they will shoot the ball at them. 

If a runner gets hit with a ball, they are eliminated, and once everyone is eliminated, the teams switch roles.

Whichever team survives the most rounds is the winner in this game. 

Here are the rules:

• 2 teams – the runners & the shooters
• Runners run across the 18-yard box along the goal line
• Shooters line up along the top of the 18-yard box with a ball
• Every round the runners run across the box & shooters hit them
• Runners who get hit are eliminated
• Switch roles when everyone is eliminated
• The team that survives the most rounds wins

Summary

The World Cup minigame consists of 4 or more teams of any amount of players, a goalkeeper, and a goal. 

All teams are trying to score on the same goal, and whoever scores last loses. 

Soccer tennis can be played on a tennis court or soft surfaces like turf or grass, and it focuses on testing each other’s touch and juggling skills.

2-touch is a shooting game that is played with a goalkeeper, a passer, and a shooter, alternating roles after each round, with the winner being the person that can score the most goals.

Another shooting game, Net Only is a competition of who can hit the back of the net from the farthest distance. 

Others will also play the same game, but instead of trying to hit the net, they attempt to hit the crossbar, which is the crossbar challenge. 

The game of 4-square has 4 players who stand in 4 squares, all of them adjacent to each other, with similar rules as soccer tennis. 

Everyone has only one bounce in each square but unlimited touches to pass the ball into another square, and if the ball drops then that player is eliminated. 

Battlefield requires 2 teams that play against each other, the shooters and the runners. 

The runners run across the 18-yard box, as the shooters shoot the ball at them and the runners are eliminated if they are hit with a shot. 

The team that survives the most rounds without being eliminated, wins the game. 

Image Attribution & Licensing

Featured Image: ‘Friends Relaxing After Playing Soccer’ by vladans (Licensed via EnvatoElements)

#1: ‘Soccer Coaching Tactics Board’ by Saiith (Licensed via EnvatoElements)

#2: ‘Soccer Players Laying on The Ground Tired’ by YuriArcursPeopleImages (Licensed via EnvatoElements)

#3: ‘Soccer Players Celebrating a Goal’ by YuriArcursPeopleImages (Licensed via EnvatoElements)

#4: ‘Top View of Outdoor Tennis Court’ by wouterkuin (Licensed via EnvatoElements)

#5: ‘Soccer Player Juggling The Soccer Ball on The Soccer Field’ by dolgachov (Licensed via EnvatoElements)

#6: ‘Soccer Ball Hitting The Back of The Net’ Chaos Soccer Gear (Licensed via Unsplash)

#7: ‘Soccer Goalpost and Crossbar’ by Alex (Licensed via Unsplash)

#8: ‘Person in Mexico National Team Jersey Juggling a Soccer Ball’ by Virdiana O Rivera (Licensed via Pexels)

#9: ‘A Person Grabbing a Dodgeball’ by Wan San Yip (Licensed via Unsplash)