What You Need for a Football Tournament

A football tournament needs more than balls and goals. You also need a reliable check-in point, enough drinks and food for the breaks, working referee equipment and a way to keep paperwork dry and organised. This shopping list brings those items together so you can check supplies before match day instead of discovering missing ball needles, extension leads or spare bibs during the first game. Use the number of teams and players to adjust quantities.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 2
Foldable tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 40
Registration desk
Bar stoolsqty 4
Clothes racksqty 4

Sports equipment

Footballsqty 12
Reserve footballsqty 4
Conesqty 60
Marker discsqty 40
Training bibsqty 40
Mini goalsqty 4
Field netsqty 4
Boundary flagsqty 16
Whistlesqty 8
Stopwatchesqty 4
Pumpsqty 3
Ball needlesqty 10
Captain's armbandsqty 8
Referee cardsqty 8
Scoreboardqty 2
Competition foldersqty 8
First aid kit
Ice packsqty 8

Equipment

Megaphone
Mobile chargersqty 4
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 3
Coolersqty 6
Thermos flasksqty 4
Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Handheld microphone

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 150
Coffee cupsqty 100
Platesqty 100
Cutlery setsqty 100
Serving plattersqty 12
Soup ladlesqty 4

Catering

Cutting boardsqty 4
Bread knivesqty 4
Pliersqty 6
Cooler cratesqty 4
Water jugsqty 8
Drink dispensersqty 4
Ice packsqty 24
Groceries
- Spa Blauw - 120 bottles
- Spa Rood - 24 small bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea bags - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Mints - 1 box
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Lemon tea - 1 box
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Stir sticks - 200 pieces
- Wholegrain rolls - 100 pieces
- White rolls - 100 pieces
- Multigrain rolls - 60 pieces
- Butter - 4 tubs
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Aged cheese - 2 kilo
- Back ham - 2 kilos
- Chicken breast slices - 2 kilos
- Hummus - 8 tubs
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Jam - 2 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Cucumbers - 12 pieces
- Tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Bell peppers - 2 kilos
- Red onions - 1 kilo
- Apples - 8 kilos
- Bananas - 6 kilos
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Mandarins - 5 kilos
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Snacks - 6 bags
- Muesli bars - 8 boxes
- Currant buns - 60 pieces
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Herb butter - 4 tubs
- Gluten-free sandwiches - 12 pieces
- Vegan spread - 8 packs
- Halal chicken breast - 1 kilo
- Napkins - 500 pieces
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Freezer bags - 2 boxes
- Trash bags - 4 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 3 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 4 packs
- Sponges - 2 packs
- Microfiber cloths - 2 packs
- Rubber gloves - 6 pairs
- Bandages - 4 boxes
- Sports tape - 8 rolls
- Sterile gauze pads - 4 boxes
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Sunscreen - 6 bottles
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Teaspoons - 100 pieces
- Paper bowls - 150 pieces
- Skewers - 200 pieces
- Sandwich wrap - 2 rolls

Decorations

Tournament flagsqty 12
Start and finish sign
Team table cardsqty 8
Bannersqty 6
Prizesqty 8

Lighting

LED work lightsqty 4
String lightsqty 4

Cleaning

Broomqty 3
Dustpan and brushqty 3
Mopsqty 3
Bucketsqty 4
Waste binsqty 10

Tips

Plan at least one match ball per active field, plus one spare ball for every two fields. Check pressure and pack a pump with spare ball needles before the tournament.
For drinks, allow roughly 1 to 1.5 litres of water per player for a full tournament day, plus extra for referees and volunteers. Fill cool boxes before teams arrive, not between matches.
Prepare one referee whistle and stopwatch per active field, with at least one spare of each. Cards, match sheets and pens are easy to overlook when equipment is divided between volunteers.
Set up a separate registration table with printed team details, match sheets and a megaphone nearby. Keep papers in match folders so wind and wet grass do not ruin the schedule.
Charge mobile chargers and test every extension lead, power strip, coffee maker and kettle the day before. Pack cable runs safely and keep electrical equipment away from the drink and changing areas.

Frequently asked questions

How many footballs do I need for a tournament?: Use one match ball per active field and add one spare ball for every two fields. For four fields, that means four match balls plus two spares, provided all balls are the correct size and inflated.
How much water should I buy for a football tournament?: Budget 1 to 1.5 litres of water per player for a full day, then add around 0.5 litres per referee and volunteer. Buy extra if the weather is warm or players have long gaps between matches.
What referee equipment is needed for each field?: Each active field needs at least one whistle, one stopwatch and a set of referee cards. Pack one spare whistle and stopwatch for every two fields so a lost or faulty item does not delay the schedule.
When should I check the tournament supplies?: Do a full equipment check two to three days before the tournament, including balls, pumps, bibs, goals, flags and power equipment. Recheck food, drinks and packed paperwork on the morning of the event.

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