8 Fun Prize Ideas for Youth Football Award Ceremonies (That Players Will Actually Love)
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Let’s be honest, most football award ceremonies are a mixed bag. There's the excitement around celebrating (or commiserating) together ... but when it comes to the prizes? That dusty old trophy with a generic footballer doing a flying volley just doesn’t cut it anymore.
If you’re planning a kids football presentation night (or any grassroots celebration), and you want your players walking away buzzing, then you’re in the right place.
Here are some genuinely fun, memorable, and surprisingly affordable prize ideas that’ll get everyone talking.
1. Personalised Football Cards – Team of the Year Style
First things first - let’s start with the most iconic upgrade to your awards night: a personalised football card.
Forget boring certificates. This is a fully customised, professionally designed card that looks like it belongs in EA FC Ultimate Team - except the star on it is your player. Their name, photo, stats (you get to set them), position - the lot. Some popular designs for award ceremonies include:
· Team of the Season (TOTS) card
It’s the kind of thing that’ll go straight on their bedroom shelf, proudly shown off to mates and family. You can do one for each player or just a select few for the main players.
They’re personal, they’re fun, and they’re miles better than a generic medal.
2. Custom Boot Bags or Drawstring Kits
Get your team’s logo printed onto boot bags or drawstring kit bags in their colours. You can even add names or shirt numbers for that little extra pride.
Not only are they practical and personal, but they help stop that classic “I left my boots in the car/dog ate my shin pads” routine.
3. Funny Awards – Because Not Everyone’s a Ballon d’Or Winner
Let’s be honest: only a few players can win Player of the Year or Top Scorer. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get a laugh and a cheer.
Try handing out some of these gems:
“Best Goal Celebration (Even If The Goal Was Disallowed)”
“Most Likely to Forget Which Goal We’re Shooting At”
“Loudest on the Pitch, Quietest in the Changing Room”
"The Late Arrival Legend"
“Best Excuse for Missing Training”
“Oscar for Best Dive”
Print them on mini certificates, add a cheap novelty prize, and you’ve got instant laughs and great photo ops.
4. Football Puzzle or Trivia Packs
For the thinkers amongst your team (or let’s be honest, for the parents and siblings sitting through the ceremony!) handing out football-themed puzzle books or trivia packs is a solid shout.
You can find ones themed around Premier League legends, Champions League stats, or even local club history. It keeps the football theme going without it being all about performance on the pitch.
Great as extra little giveaways or even as prizes for a mini quiz on the night.
5. Mini Trophies With a Twist
Rather than dishing out identical trophies for every player, why not switch things up? You can get mini awards with custom titles, like:
“Stonewall Defender Award”
“Safe Hands – GK of the Season”
“Midfield Engine Room”
“Dribbles Past 5, Loses It Anyway Award”
Pair each one with a short speech or a story - it makes the moment feel special. Bonus points if you get the crowd involved with a cheeky chant.
6. Team Highlight Reel
This one’s a group effort, so you’ll need help from spectators as well as players.
Create a digital slideshow packed with highlights from the season - goals, muddy matches, training bloopers, snack disasters, and celebrations. Add quotes from players, parents, and coaches.
It’s sentimental, yes. But it’s also the kind of thing that reminds everyone why grassroots football is so brilliant. You’ll get laughs, maybe even a tear or two and you’ll cement your bonds as a team.
7. Football Goodie Bags
A little goodie bag with football-themed sweets, a sticker pack, and a cheeky Panini card or two? Instant win. Kids love something to open. And if you throw in a mini keyring or badge with the club logo, you’ve just turned it into a keepsake.
Easy to sort, cheap to make, and guaranteed to be remembered.
8. "Golden Boot" Chocolate Trophy
Can’t stretch to a proper Golden Boot? Get a chocolate one!
You can buy novelty chocolate football boots online or wrap a football-shaped chocolate in gold foil. It’s light-hearted, tasty, and still earns bragging rights, although it won’t last long….
The Final Whistle: It’s More than the Prizes (But They Help!)
Your football award ceremony should be about more than just silverware - it’s about celebrating the spirit, the silliness, the graft, and the growth. Whether you’re managing under-7s or under-17s, the right prizes make a huge difference and help create a strong team spirit and togetherness.
And if you want to be remembered as the gaffer who truly got it right?
Start with a Team of the Year card.
Trust us - they’ll remember it long after the last whistle’s blown.
Check out Card Creators full range of personalised football cards and create something your kids football team will really treasure.