Football season begins in September and ends in January, where it’s topped off with the Super Bowl. If you’re planning on hosting watch parties, you’re going to need a big-screen TV, snacks, and of course, some kind of entertainment.
Yes, the game itself works as the primary source of entertainment, but you’ve got to think about what you’re going to do before the game and during commercials.
There are plenty of football party games that will fill the void. You can hold a cook-off, host a trivia game or have your guests try to predict the winners of the big game.
These are only a few options that will take your Friday night game plans to the next level. Continue reading to learn more.
1. Hold a Cook-Off
You can’t have a proper game night without food. Not only does it prevent the sound of growling stomachs from overpowering the TV, but you can also make a game out of it.
Have each of your guests bring a dish to the party for everyone to try. At the end of the night, the group will vote on who they thought prepared the best food. Give the winner a theme-appropriate gift like a customized jersey.
There are two benefits to this game. For one, it takes a party planning step off your plate. With everyone bringing food, you don’t have to cook as much.
For two, it’s fun, and it encourages conversation. Your guests can share some tasty new recipes with each other.
2. Super Bowl Bingo
If you’re looking for a game that you can play as you watch the big game, look no further than Super Bowl Bingo.
Print bingo cards off and fill the empty boxes with words and phrases that relate to football. When someone ticks off 5 in a row, they’ll shout “bingo” and win whatever prize you decide on.
You don’t only have to use words that pertain to the game. You can make things more challenging by including the names of corporations that you think will have a commercial during the Super Bowl.
3. Football Trivia
The last thing that your guests want is to be quizzed while they’re trying to watch the game, but there’s nothing wrong with playing a few rounds of Football trivia before it starts.
The best thing about trivia is that you can sort of cater it to your group. For example, if you know that several of your guests have no knowledge of the sport, you can keep things simple. If most of the people at the party have been following football forever, you can ask questions that will pose more of a challenge.
To spice things up, separate your guests into teams and watch them battle it out.
4. Play a Game of Flag Football
Allowing for a bit of harmless competition before the game will help get everyone’s adrenalin going. Split your guests into teams for a round of flag football.
The great thing about flag football is that due to the no-contact rule, the game will be safe for adults and children alike. Tackling, touching, and diving isn’t allowed.
The only downside of this exciting party game is that you’ll need to have enough yard space to accommodate it.
5. Super Bowl Predictions Game
Before kick-off, have your guests write down all their predictions for the game, from who will win to who will perform during halftime. Give a prize to the person who makes the most correct predictions.
It’s a lot like online sports betting, except no actual money is involved, and kids can play.
6. Football Toss
If you don’t have enough space in your yard to play flag football, football toss works as a good alternative. Place a hula hoop on the floor (or hang it up for an extra challenge) and give your guests a football to toss into the center.
You can make it into a competition by keeping score or use it as a fun way to pass time during commercials.
7. Forbid the Use of Certain Words
Forbidding the use of certain football-related words can be an interesting challenge that will send everyone on your guest list into a fit of giggles.
You can easily make this into a drinking game, but if you want to keep things more age-appropriate, you can use stickers instead. Give everyone a stack of stickers.
Whenever someone calls another out for using a forbidden word, the offender will have to give that person a sticker. The guest who has the most stickers at the end of the night will take home the win.
8. Mini Cornhole
Like flag football, cornhole is a good way to get everyone’s adrenalin pumping before the game starts. Again, you’ll need to have a big enough yard to play.
Playing a game outside is also a big no-no during the winter months. Not if you don’t want your guests to freeze.
The solution is mini cornhole. It includes everything that you need to play the game, but it can fit on your living room table. Instead of keeping score, consider using it as a way to pass time during commercials and help antsy guests keep their hands busy.
9. Rate Super Bowl Commercials
Super Bowl commercials have the reputation of being almost as entertaining as the game itself. In fact, some of the people who watch the big game don’t do so because they have an interest in football. They tune in to see the crazy commercials.
Not every commercial is a win, however. There will inevitably be some that fall sort of flat.
That’s where the fun comes in. Ask your guests to rate the commercials with football-themed scorecards.
10. Guess What Will Happen Next
Have all your guests guess what the first Super Bowl commercial will be. The ones who get it right will stand, and the ones that got it wrong will remain seated.
Do this for every commercial that plays during the break. When the game comes back on, everyone who’s standing will get a point.
11. Word Scramble
Word scrambles make one of the best football party game ideas because you don’t have to put a lot of thought into it, and it’s cheap. There are football-themed scrambles online that you can print out for a few bucks.
Most downloadable word scrambles are difficult enough to keep an adult on their toes, without being so challenging that a child would have an issue with them. Doing a word scramble will also help you refresh yourself on key football terms.
12. Football Charades
If you’re looking for an icebreaker for your game night, consider having a few rounds of football-themed charades.
Write football phrases on scraps of paper and toss them into a hat or helmet if you have one laying around. Split your guests into teams and have representatives from each one pull from the hat.
The representative from the team will then act out the word, and the other members of their group will have to guess what word they pulled.
Consider creating two separate word pools. One will have easier words for kids to act out, and the other will contain harder phrases to give the adults at your party more of a challenge.
13. Play With Your Food
Food isn’t only for snacking. It’s for playing as well. There are quite a few party games that center around classic football dishes.
Pour a bunch of chips into a bowl and have your guests guess how many there are. Give the win to the person who comes the closest to the actual number.
Arrange a few different chicken wings (made with different sauce flavors) on a plate and number them. Players will eat the wings and guess what sauces you used.
14. Hot Potato
Hot potato is a classic party game that only takes a few seconds to play. All you need to get started is a foam football.
Ask your players to stand in a circle and play a song. Players will toss the football to each other until you pause the music. The person who is holding the football when the music stops is eliminated from the game.
Fun Football Party Games to Try Out at Your Next Bash
While the big game will serve as the primary source of entertainment for your party, there’s nothing wrong with setting up a few fun football party games to keep everyone occupied before kickoff.
Play hot potato, have a cooking contest, or break out tabletop cornhole to keep everyone busy for hours.
For more football party planning tips, visit the Sports section of our blog.