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How to choose a football for your team or club
Choosing the right football for your team might seem like a small detail in the grand scheme of the game, but any seasoned player or coach will tell you that it can make a world of difference on the field. The perfect football isn’t just about looks - it’s about feel, grip, and durability. With everything from the different sizes to the types of materials, it can be hard to choose the correct option for your team or club.
Whether you’re coaching a youth squad, leading a school team, or managing a semi-professional lineup, selecting the right football requires more than just picking the most popular brand off the shelf. In this guide, we’re going to take you through the different football sizes and who they’re made for, alongside the types of footballs available, from training balls to match day options - so you can be confident you’re picking the right one for your team.
How to choose the right football for your team
Choosing the right football comes down to a variety of factors such as size, materials and what you plan to use it for. You’ll need to consider the age of your players and where you’ll be playing or training to find the right materials. For example, soft balls will be better for indoor practice, and training balls may be better for outdoor drills. You’ll also want to consider colour schemes to match your club's identity.
Understanding the different types of footballs
When it comes to picking the right football for your team, understanding the different types of footballs is a crucial first step. Not all footballs are created equal, and each type is designed with a specific purpose in mind. Football can differ in construction, materials and even purpose. To help you figure out what the different types are, we’ve separated them into categories below, so you can better understand what will suit your team's play style.
Training footballs
These footballs are specifically designed to withstand the rigours of frequent, high-intensity practice sessions, making them an essential tool for any team’s development. Unlike match balls, which prioritise performance, precision, and a premium feel, training balls focus on durability and long-term reliability.
They’re often made from tougher synthetic materials and feature reinforced stitching or bonded panels to handle repetitive drills, hard surfaces, and varying weather conditions. Because they retain their shape and air pressure well, they’re ideal for everyday use, whether it’s passing drills, shooting practice, ball control exercises, or warm-ups.
Pro training footballs
Pro training footballs are a step above standard training balls, designed for teams that need high performance during practice without sacrificing durability. These balls closely replicate the feel, flight, and touch of professional match balls, giving players a more realistic training experience while still being tough enough to handle daily drills.
Our Pro Player footballs improve performance by offering superior accuracy and power, and have a softer touch and better stitching than their training counterparts. They come in sizes 3-5, and in four colourways to match your team colours. They feature embossed leather panels for a tactile element and consistent touch throughout. Even better, if you’re looking to kit out a whole team, then you can take advantage of our discount bundle option and bag 12+ balls for a fraction of the cost. You’ll also get a free football carrier for every 24 balls purchased.
PRO PLAYER FOOTBALL - HYPER BLUE (£8.95)
Indoor footballs
Indoor footballs are specially designed for playing on hard, indoor surfaces such as gym floors or sports halls, where a traditional outdoor ball would bounce too high and feel difficult to control. They also typically have a hardened or felt outer to withstand the laminate surfaces of indoor sports centres.
Mini footballs
Mini footballs are smaller, lightweight versions of standard footballs designed primarily for fun, skill-building, and introductory play. Typically ranging in size from 1 to 2, these balls are perfect for young children who are just starting to develop coordination, or for older players who want to work on close control, juggling, and technical footwork in a low-pressure way.
What are the different sizes of footballs?
It may surprise you to learn that there are actually a few different sizes of footballs - up to five sizes to be exact. They are labelled in numerical order, with one being the smallest and five being the largest, and each serves a different purpose.
Selecting the right one is critical to ensure that your ball meets the needs of your players, for example, a toddler playing with a full-sized football will find it very difficult to improve their skills, and this could be a trip hazard. To understand which size you need to pick, we can take a look at each of the different sizes:
- Size 1 - Primarily used for toddlers, but can also be used for technical training sessions. Size 1 footballs have a circumference of 45-51cm and a weight of 205g.
- Size 2 - Size two footballs are made for young players of up to five years of age. These footballs have a circumference of 52-56cm and a weight of 210-280g.
- Size 3 - This ball is typically used for the U9 age group and has a circumference of 58-60cm and a weight of 300-320g.
- Size 4 - Perfect for older children, size 4 footballs are used for players up to the age of 14 years. This size football has a circumference of 63-66cm and a weight of 360-390g
- Size 5 - This is the standard size for footballs and is used across all adult games. It has a circumference of 69-71cm and a weight of 410-450g
What size is a Premier League football?
A Premier League football, according to the FA guidelines, should be;
- spherical
- made of suitable material
- of a circumference of between 68 cm (27 ins) and 70 cm (28 ins)
- between 410 g (14 oz) and 450 g (16 oz) in weight at the start of the match
- of a pressure equal to 0.6 – 1.1 atmosphere (600 – 1,100g/cm2) at sea level (8.5 lbs/sq in – 15.6 lbs/sq in).
In simpler terms, this means that the ball should be what is known as ‘size 5’, which is the standard size for all adult football games, as well as for older kids aged 14 and above.
What are current footballs made of?
In the modern day, most footballs are constructed of balls that consist of a rubber or latex interior which is padded with leather, synthetic leather, polyurethane or a type of PVC. However, before the late 19th century, they were constructed of animal bladders and encased in brown leather.
Plenty of research by companies such as Nike, Adidas and Mitre has been poured into finding the best materials to use for a football to improve bounce, durability, and water resistance, which stops the ball from getting waterlogged. As a result, we now use much better materials to improve gameplay with a more aerodynamic and functional design.
Get the right football for your team with Avec Sport
Choosing the right football for your team is ultimately about balancing performance, durability, and the unique needs of your players. By understanding the different types of balls, the materials they’re made from and the sizes suited to various age groups, you can make a confident and informed decision.
Whether you’re coaching young beginners or preparing a competitive squad, invest the time to pick the right football and browse our football collection at Avec Sport to reap the benefits on the pitch.