Why Adult Men Should Play Grassroots Football

We at Hype Train are entering our 7^th season as a club in grassroots football and based off our experience since our formation in 2019, we are here to discuss the various reasons why we would encourage adult men to get involved with local football.

To break down the benefits of playing regular grassroots football, we have broken down our reasoning into three clear categories; physical health, mental wellbeing, and affordability.

The physical benefits of grassroots football:

At the heart of a player’s experience is their accessibility to play regular football, and no matter if a player is at Step 6 level or the bottom rung of the Sunday League ladder, football gets players moving and working on different core workouts, helping with weight management and a balanced workout schedule.

Fitness Benefits:

Football is an excellent aerobic exercise, improving heart health, circulation, and endurance. A 90-minute game can burn over 1,000 calories. This is a good return for someone who is more of a team sports person than they are a gym goer.

By playing football, players also build lower-body strength through running, tackling, and kicking. Upper-body strength is used for balance and shielding, and for central defenders the burly attackers, the chance at strong duels. Football is ultimately a full-body workout that boosts core stability and agility.

According to a report by The FA in 2019 around the social and economic value of grassroots football, regular grassroots football contributes to an estimated £43.5 million in annual NHS savings due to fewer GP visits and improved health for players. There’s no doubt that in the 6 years since this study by The FA, the figures would have gone up, particularly with more women getting involved in grassroots football.

There are also long-term physical benefits at play…

Moreover, participation sets a strong example for children and peers — promoting healthy habits across local communities and friendship groups to keep more youngsters involved in physical activity long into adulthood – whilst later in life regular sport participation significantly reduces the risk of long-term health conditions like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.

Speaking of age, in grassroots football age is just a number and nothing more. At Hype Train we have a player in his 50’s and he is adored by everyone, keeps himself in exceptional health and is a role model for everyone, so in our eyes the idea of ‘retirement’ is something we wouldn’t hope anyone considers as staying active through your 30s, 40s, and 50s supports longevity and cognitive function.

Grassroots football and mental wellbeing:

Aside from the physical elements, mental wellbeing is also equally important when considering grassroots football.

Playing provides good stress relief and provides a necessary escape from the pressures of work and life. The focus required during play relieves the mind of daily stress. Physical activity boosts endorphin levels, acting as a natural antidepressant, improving individual and squad morale.

Sport also provides a sense of purpose. Committing to a team gives structure to the week. Weekly training, mixed with other physical activities such as walking, going to the gym, or playing other sports to stay fit, provides a healthy structure for players, whilst the culmination of weekly matches motivates players throughout the week to be in good form ahead of a competitive match on a Saturday or Sunday. This structure leads to interpersonal responsibilities as being involved in a team demands punctuality, effort, and accountability – and anyone who isn’t living up to their end of the billing is typically motivated into stepping up if you’re in a positive environment, building camaraderie.”

For us personally, the greatest benefit of starting the club is the community building that takes place over the long term. We’re friends with Paul Gutteridge and the team at Caversham United and seeing them evolve into a staple of their local area with multiple clubs is brilliant to see. Caversham recently celebrated their 10^th anniversary as a club with a big celebration at their home ground of Mapledurham Playing Fields. This is just one example of how local football clubs are bettering their communities, and there are countless other good people and volunteers involved in grassroots.

Internally, we have been privileged to see players make friends with one another, friendship groups join The Train, building connections both in and out of football, and for adult men to share their lives, and successes, in a period where male loneliness is a concern. Going for a drink after a game, enjoying success on the pitch, or sharing a meal with teammates, these are the hidden gems that make all the tough moments team’s and players go through, worth all the effort. This social element of football was a big reason why we started the football team in 2019.

Hype Train FC Co-Founder, Robert Austin on starting the club:

“A big reason why I started the team in 2019 when I was 28 was due to wanting more from myself in a social capacity. I was aimless and without much purpose in my 20s after graduating from university, and I rediscovered my love of football via our Hype Train website, reporting on Fantasy Football and mainly FPL. I was becoming lonely and didn’t want to be isolated, so did everything in my power to start an actual team alongside my brother, Sam, so we could engage in something meaningful alongside other likeminded people. In 2025, I’m very happy I took that leap at the time, as I have learnt a lot of skills that have benefitted our lives, made friends, and seen others in the squad do the same. Physically speaking, the structure of managing and administrating a team has made me consciously healthier over time, and I’m constantly mentally engaged with the club both on and off the field.”

Affordability and accessibility of local football:

Across the UK, there are current strategies underway by several governing bodies to get more adults and children into playing football, with The FA currently estimating that 15.7 million participants are involved in local football, be it 5-a-side, youth football, or adult grassroots. The Premier League have also claimed that it gives away £1.6 billion every 3 years (16% of its total revenue) and will increase its funding by £33 million annually to £133 million to support key areas of grassroots football. In simple terms, the official word is that more pitches and facilities are being built to make the beautiful game more easily accessible.

But where does this leave players right now, looking to get involved or maintain their interest in the game? From our perspective as a club, the only residual change we have seen is a sharp increase in costs running a club as companies benefit from booking expensive artificial 3G pitches for matches and training, whilst grass pitches in our local Reading area as an example have stagnated, or regressed, in quality.

What grassroots football does offer though, still, is minimal and affordable costs, despite the cost of living rises. Match subs for games and training can range from £5-8 depending on the club (maybe more, maybe less) and are still cheaper than a lot of gym memberships. There are certainly challenges to the upkeep and running of local clubs in 2025, costs being at the heart of it, but committed players and low fees for entry are still cheaper and comparable than a lot of other sports and memberships for physical activity.

Accessibility is there for players, and there aren't many clubs that would turn down good players and personalities, and we believe that whilst you're young and still physically capable, adults should prioritise playing and supporting the local game.

For more from Hype Train FC, follow the team on Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss a single moment on or off the field.