Tips for staying warm when playing football in winter

At the beginning of the football season, when the sun gently warms players as they hit the pitch, it can be easy to forget that football is an all-weather sport. Played all around the world in all seasons, football training and matches go ahead whether it's a toasty 20℃ or a freezing -2℃ and, here in the UK, it’s all too often closer to the latter than the former.

Whether you’re preparing for the next game in a cold morning training session, hitting the pitch on match day or sitting on the sub bench waiting for your chance to get involved, taking part in winter football requires some preparation. After all, being cold during training or on match day can have some serious consequences. Affecting more than just comfort, not maintaining the optimum temperature during winter training sessions and matches can directly interfere with a player’s performance on the pitch, damaging concentration, reflexes, dexterity and speed. 

If you’re determined to ensure that not even sub-zero temperatures can stop your team from playing their best, read through our tips for staying warm in winter football. Containing essential advice for dedicated players, we’ll be going over all the important football winter gear you’ll need to keep warm, comfortable and safe over the coming cold months.

How do football players stay warm?

When it comes to winter football, staying warm while playing the game is the easy part. Always on the move, running across the pitch and sprinting intermittently to race after opportunities to score, keeping your blood pumping as a footballer in winter isn’t a big ask. Even then, though, taking the cold seriously is a task that must be completed by even the most active players on the pitch. When the temperatures really start to drop, you may choose to take some extra precautions by wearing thermal base layers.

Cold weather base layer

Designed to help make sure players stay warm on the pitch, our high-quality football thermal collection at Avec Sport contains both compression tops and shorts that can be comfortably worn underneath your normal football kit or training kit. 

Capable of helping players keep their body heat where it needs to be during cold matches, our football thermals have the added benefit of providing muscle compression. This means that, if you find yourself standing still in the cold for any length of time, whether you’re grabbing a drink or being sent off the pitch for a substitution, you won’t cool down too quickly. These additional layers of protection play a huge role in preventing injuries, so making sure you have a cold weather base layer for training sessions and matches is massively important.

How to stay warm off the pitch in winter football

The real challenge for football players trying to keep warm during colder weather comes when they’re out of play. Non-active players, such as those sitting on the bench waiting to get onto the pitch, need to make sure they’re warm and ready to go at a moment’s notice. On the other side of that coin, players who leave the pitch through the match also need to be careful that they don’t cool down too quickly once they stop moving. Fortunately, for players hitting the pitch in the first minute or the last, there’s a wide range of football winter jackets at Avec Sport designed to help maintain a steadier body temperature.

Football winter jackets

Padded for extra warmth, our range of football winter jackets includes the all-important bench coat. Perfect for wearing while sitting as a substitute to ensure your body temperature remains optimal for hitting the pitch, and ideal for donning when players exit the pitch at halftime, this coat is an essential piece of winter football gear. Available in black and navy, this design can be customised with your team crest so you can stay professional and represent your team when off the pitch.

How to stay warm as a goalkeeper

Less physically active than attackers and defenders, goalkeepers are more susceptible to the damaging effects of the cold, and yet, winning the game depends on their constant vigilance and readiness to spring into action the second an opposing attacker takes their shot. If you’ve got the considerable responsibility of playing as the goalkeeper for your team, keep your mind sharp and body ready no matter the weather.

Football winter gear for goalkeepers

During long training sessions out in the cold, staying warm is a challenge, and that is made even more difficult if you’re standing guarding the goal for long periods of time. To make sure you get the most out of your goalkeeper training, we recommend investing in a pair of Focus tech pants. Covering the full length of your legs, these pants make up an important part of your winter football clothing and, when paired with the cold weather base layer, you’ll be ready to catch every attempted goal that comes your way.

Find football thermals and bench coats at Avec Sport

Wearing suitable football thermals on winter match days can mean the difference between winning and losing, so make all the necessary preparations before the seasons change by browsing the full collection of winter football gear at Avec Sport. From comfortable cold weather base layer tops, shorts and pants to multi-purpose padded bench coats, you’ll be unstoppable this winter with our high-quality designs