8 best football goals that are sure to score you some points with the kids

This goal can really take it all, including a pummelling by the weather and a constant stream of footballs fired at it by a seven-year-old and his buddies. It’s a really sturdy product that took less than 10 minutes to put together. The most tricky part is attaching the net to the PVC posts, especially with impatient onlookers. The goal also comes with U-pegs, so you can make sure it’s secure in the grass, which will give parents peace of mind that it won’t fall on anyone.  

At 6ft by 4ft, this goal is one of the smaller Forza options, and the brand says it’s suitable for those aged seven and under. It was the perfect size for our five-year-old, particularly when his older brother made him be goalie, but our seven-year-old would perhaps benefit from a larger size. Forza also sells goals in 8ft by 4ft, 8ft by 6ft and 12ft by 6ft, so there is an option to suit all lawn sizes.

If you’ve got a young child who is just discovering their love of football (or even still learning to kick a ball), this could be the set for you. It certainly won’t break the bank or take up much space. It’s very easy to put together, and it comes with a pump and small ball.

Recommended for children aged three and up, this is a cheap product but we’ve included it because it is a perfect first goal for a toddler. At 44cm wide and 31cm high, it doesn’t take up much space, so you can use it in a small patio garden or even inside on a rainy day. It will help little ones develop their gross motor skills and burn some of that seemingly never-ending energy.

If you’re planning a football match, obviously, you’ll need two goals, which is why these lightweight pop-up goals could be a great choice. They were super easy to put together as they pop open when removed from the bag and you just have to add the fibreglass pole and use the ground pegs to secure them in place.

Our five-year-old tester really enjoyed playing with these goals but we found them to be a bit small for our older son, who likes to practise his top bin shots. The goals come with a ball and pump but we found both of these to be quite poor quality, so we used our own ball instead. This set would definitely suit the two- to five-year-old age range best.

The biggest plus point about these goals is you can pack them up and take them anywhere. They’d be great at the park with some friends or at the grandparents’ house to keep the kids entertained during a visit. As with all pop-up products, we had some fun getting them back in the bag – it took two adults to do it - but perhaps we were just extra tired that day.

Our seven-year-old is obsessed with practising his skills and sometimes having a standard goal is simply not enough. This target training option went down a storm with him, as he could spend some time on his own just firing the ball at the hole in the net. The only issue was that he can kick the ball quite hard and the goal kept bending backwards with the force of each shot, as it is quite flimsy.

The goal was easy to put together and could work indoors as well as outdoors, if you’re happy to let your kids play football inside.

Included are ground pegs, a bag, a ball and a pump, which weren’t particularly good quality. However, this goal comes at a great price point and will keep focused young footballers busy, come rain or shine.

This is a great option for the summer holidays, because it’s really portable. Stick it in the boot of your car for a trip to the beach or even in your suitcase if you’re heading somewhere further afield. It’s another goal that requires no assembly, apart from securing it to the ground with the two pegs included. We took it over to the grandparents’ house for the afternoon and it was a huge hit with smaller members of the family.

The goal is designed for kids aged two and up and is colourful and fun to play with. It also felt really safe because there’s no net for little feet to get tangled in, if they’re still a bit unsteady when running around. This goal doesn’t come with a ball but, at this price, we didn’t mind. We discovered it also makes for a good tent when little ones fancy a rest.

This is a really good value, good-sized goal with features that make it a perfect choice for your garden. The kage is really easy to set up, too – all you need to do is clip on the corners, stake it into the grass, and you’re ready for the first whistle. The corners make a noise when they’re connected properly, which is a handy feature, and we felt it was a good size for our garden. It’s a bit less robust than some others in our line-up, and it definitely needs to be taken down when not used, as it’s not weatherproof. However, our boys loved the colour of this goal, and we loved the fact it was incredibly easy to put up and down. It also comes in a cover that has a carry strap, which is a bonus.

This goal is the sturdiest on our list, thanks to its steel frame. We sampled the small version, which measures 95cm by 70cm. This was a great size for our five-year-old, as it meant no goalie was required and he could just practise firing shots at it. However, our seven-year-old would definitely prefer a larger size. He likes taking turns to be the goalkeeper, and this goal just isn’t big enough for kids his age to do that.

It was easy to put together, though – the only time-consuming element was threading the net into the hooks on each part of the frame. The goal comes with three U-hooks, so you can make sure it’s safely pegged into the ground.

Overall, this is an attractive product that would look smart in any garden. 

If your child isn’t quite up to taking shots in the garden yet, this interactive option could be the perfect gift. It’s a great introduction to football but also comes with lights, sounds and buttons to press, which will keep both small hands and feet busy. This is an indoors-only toy that’s suitable for little ones aged from 18 months.

The elephant goalkeeper figure in the middle moves left and right when the whistle is blown, and little ones can enjoy singing along with the sounds. It’s not the most sturdy of toys, however, so, an adult should always be present when it’s being used. A battery is included, along with a small ball.