Fall and footballs are in the air when cooler nights and earlier sunsets arrive. Americans love their version of the sport, with over 75% of the country engaging with the National Football League.
From the beginning of September into February, there’s a collegiate or professional game every weekend, giving many opportunities to have a party at your house. When you’re the host, you’ll want to provide fun games and delicious food for children and adults. Here are six game night ideas for football season this fall.
1. Trivia Games
If you’re having a football party, chances are you’ll have some gridiron fanatics in the room. Test their knowledge to see how much they’ve been studying during the offseason. You could list trivia questions based on the teams playing, the players, their personal lives and more.
Help the non-football fans by incorporating pop culture into the sports trivia to give more diversity to the categories. You could make a special prize for the winner, such as a small trophy.
2. Money-Free Sports Betting
Sports betting has grown significantly in the past few years, but this doesn’t mean we’re encouraging gambling. Want to get competitive in a low-stakes way? For a house party, you don’t have to bet actual money, but you can still incorporate the fun of sports betting into your party.
Sports gambling is a terrific way to get people more excited about games because they have something at stake. Put bragging rights on the line or have a novelty prize for fun. Give guests a list of questions before the game and see how many everyone gets correct. For example, you could ask:
● How many combined points will the teams score?
● Which team will win? By how many points?
● What team or player will score the first touchdown?
● Who will win the coin toss and will it land on heads or tails?
● How many field goals will both teams make?
You can also incorporate your fantasy football league, brackets and other games into a series of game nights.
3. Themed Food
If you’re throwing a party, you’ll want to assign a theme to make it more exciting and intimate for your guests. For football season, there are several possibilities you can do. Sometimes the idea comes naturally, like a Super Bowl-themed party when the big game comes in February.
One fun idea is to base the theme on what cities are playing. You could imitate pizza styles for New York and Chicago teams. If you’re watching Kansas City or Texas teams, try making barbecue inspired by the regions. Football teams from San Antonio, Phoenix and nearby cities would create an excellent opportunity to make a Southwest-style menu. These party options can help your guests get in the mood for football with fantastic food.
4. Themed Decor
Decorating your home is a surefire way to get everybody ready for the game. If you want to go all-out, you can put up the team colors around the house and serve your guests on plates of the same hues. One fun way to encourage the competitive spirit could be creating team-themed tables and including different snacks on each one.
Set up your kitchen with a big table for snacks, make sure the living room is clutter-free to allow for plenty of jumping and cheering and deck the place out as you see fit. You don’t have to spend hours on game night decor, but it can add a fun touch to what would otherwise feel routine.
5. Cornhole
Football fans love to tailgate, whether at a college or professional game. A classic game people enjoy playing outside is cornhole. This bean-bag toss is popular because it’s simple and easy to understand for all ages.
All you have to do is toss a bag as close as possible into the opposite hole. Cornhole has grown in popularity in the past few years and there are professional leagues with aspirations of turning cornhole into an Olympic sport someday.
6. Football Toss
Football toss is another classic game you may see at a tailgate or a fall carnival. You can make a board at home, order a premade one online or buy a blank canvas to decorate yourself. The fun part of this game is the different levels of difficulty.
Typically there are three sizes of holes — a large one in the middle with a couple of medium-sized holes and a pair of small holes. A smaller hole gives the most points. Another way to upgrade the difficulty is to make people stand farther back as the game progresses. Then you can see who’s been studying their Tom Brady films in preparation.
Game Night Ideas for Your Football Party
Fall nights watching football games are some of the most fun you’ll have with family and friends. These big games are a terrific time to invite people over for a party. Use these six ideas to ensure your guests have fun, whether they’re gridiron fans or only coming for the Buffalo chicken dip.