Soccer fundraiser ideas for club, school, and rec teams

You said yes to handling fundraising for your soccer team, and now you're scrolling through lists of soccer fundraiser ideas that treat a 12U rec team and a travel club like they need the same things.

But a club team with another tournament coming up, a school team covering what the boosters can’t, and a rec league buying new nets before opening day each need something different. The best fundraising ideas for soccer teams cover what you’re paying for, by the time you need the money.

Key Takeaway: The best soccer fundraising idea is the one that works for the types of expenses you need to cover.

• Club and travel teams: Find sponsors for ongoing costs, and run a quick fundraiser before a tournament or trip.

• School teams: Set a goal based on the gap in your season budget, then run one product fundraiser to close it.

• Rec leagues: Bring every team together for one league-wide fundraiser to cover shared costs like equipment and field time.

Keep your club or travel soccer team on the road

On a soccer club or travel team, you’ve got dues hitting regularly. On top of that, each tournament or showcase brings its own entry fee and travel costs. This means you should tackle fundraising one cost at a time instead of trying to raise for the whole year all at once.

Have a tournament coming up? Run a short fundraiser with your goal tied to that specific trip’s costs. Make sure the fundraiser has a clear end date and quick payout window so the money lands before your tournament expenses do.

Spirit wear sales can also pay off near a big tournament weekend. Just be sure enough families actually want it before you place the order so you're not stuck with a bunch of extra hoodies in your garage.

For the recurring costs like monthly or seasonal dues, you can ask a local business to sponsor your team. It can be a win-win since they get promoted on banners at the field or on your team’s social channels, and you get help with the bills.

Close your school soccer team’s budget gap

If your athletic department or booster club covers part of your season expenses, figure out how much you’re on the hook for and when you need it. If you need $1,500 for buses to away games or new practice gear, make that your goal. A short online product fundraiser can help your team raise that much in a matter of days.

A spirit night can work if a local restaurant is willing to donate part of their revenue for the night and you can get enough people to show up. Ask about payout timing up front, though. Some businesses take several weeks to get you the check.

A raffle is a classic soccer fundraising idea for high school and middle school teams. It can often raise good money, but finding donated prizes and managing ticket sales requires extra legwork and connections from your boosters.

One fundraiser for your whole rec league

If you're covering field time and equipment for an entire youth soccer league, you shouldn't need every team to run its own fundraiser. Just run one across the whole league to cover those shared costs all at once.

The simplest idea is to do a league-wide online product fundraiser that families participate in, no matter which team their child plays for. One volunteer coordinator can run it without having to count any cash, collect any paperwork, or store any boxes in their garage. And because every athlete shares the fundraiser with their own family and friends online, your league can get supporters from all over, not just the ones who are local.  

Local businesses can also sponsor the league in exchange for banners at the field. Just start working on that early, since lining up sponsors takes time.

If you already have volunteers and some upfront funds, an opening day concession stand can be a great idea. Everyone will already be at the game (and hungry), and you’ll get the money right away. 

Car washes are a tried-and-true league fundraiser idea for a reason: they have low upfront costs and no inventory. You'll need a good location, good weather, and a lot of volunteers who don't mind getting a little wet.

A fundraiser that works for any soccer team

Whether you're running a club, school, or rec league fundraiser, doing it virtually means you can raise without buying product up front, storing boxes, or chasing down orders.

Double Good is a fundraising app where your team raises money by selling gourmet popcorn online. Each player sets up their own Pop-Up Store® and shares the link, so grandparents three states away can chip in just as easily as the neighbors down the street.

You don’t have to pay anything up front, and since supporters get their popcorn delivered directly to their door, there’s no inventory to manage. Best of all, your team keeps 50% of every sale. Here's how that plays out for your team.

For club and travel teams

Kick off a Double Good soccer fundraiser whenever the next tournament or trip comes up. A 4- or 7-day fundraising window gives your team a clear start and end date, and a quick payout means you’ll be able to cover costs as they come due. 

For school teams

Set your goal at whatever amount your booster club or athletic department doesn’t cover, then go after it with one focused fundraiser. Double Good soccer team fundraisers let parents share their kid's Pop-Up Store with family and friends, so you get support from well beyond the bleachers without anyone having to deal with the complexity of an in-person event. Sellers raise more than $175 on average, so multiply that by the number of players on your team to get a rough estimate of what your team could raise. 

For rec leagues

It’s a good idea to organize a league-wide Double Good fundraiser to raise money across all teams for field rental, equipment, or referees. Your fundraising coordinator can easily manage the fundraiser online while each player participates by sharing their individual Pop-Up Store. Customizable sharing tools help all your players get the word out.

One final tip: No matter what kind of soccer organization you’re fundraising for, plan ahead. Organizers who schedule their Double Good fundraiser 10+ days in advance of kicking it off raise 59% more on average than those who schedule just 2 days ahead.

Have a team expense coming up?