Casual Football in Taipei: Terrible Football
If you are looking for casual football in Taipei, with no trials, no league and no pressure, Terrible Football Taipei is a good place to start. The group welcomes anyone who wants to kick a ball about for fun: a bit unfit, a bit old, or a bit terrible. This article explains how the group works, why its 12 rules keep the game friendly, and what any sport organizer can borrow from it.
What Terrible Football Taipei is
Terrible Football is a relaxed football format that started in London and now runs in several cities, including Berlin, Amsterdam and Taipei. The Taipei group describes its games with the same spirit: muddy pitches, miskicked clearances, sweet half volleys and desperate diving saves. It calls itself “open, inclusive and Terrible”.
The promise is simple, and the group makes it in its first paragraph: you do not need to be fit, young or good. You can come for the football, and maybe stay for a couple of beers afterwards.
The 12 rules, and why they work
Most groups say “everyone is welcome” and stop there. Terrible Football writes down what that means on the pitch. The 12 rules fall into three jobs.
Keep the game friendly
- Don’t be too competitive.
- No hard tackling or sliding challenges.
- Don’t shoot too hard.
- Don’t dribble past multiple players. Taking on one player is fine.
- Don’t hog the ball.
- Don’t close down defenders too quickly, so the team can play the ball out.
Include everyone
- Give beginners time on the ball and time to receive it.
- Positive talking is good, but don’t constantly shout at people.
- No arguing. If you have a problem with something or someone, tell an organizer.
- Keep changing the goalkeeper.
Keep the roster honest
- If you are on the waiting list, don’t attend the game.
- If you can’t come, change your RSVP the night before at the latest. If you don’t change it and you don’t show up, the group removes you.
The first two groups shape how people behave. The third is what makes the game run, and it is the part most organizers skip.
A game at Chenguang Soccer Field
The format is deliberately light. You RSVP on the event page and turn up on the day, and the organizers take care of bibs, balls and goals. Nobody needs a team, a kit or a partner. The group’s latest game was on the afternoon of Saturday 3 October, with the same rules and the same RSVP.
What organizers can borrow
You do not need to run a football group to use their approach.
- Write your rules down. “Everyone is welcome” is a hope. “No sliding tackles, give beginners time on the ball” is something people can follow.
- Set an RSVP deadline. “The night before at the latest” is easy to remember and gives you time to react.
- Use a waiting list, and say what it means. Waiting-list players stay home until they are moved up. That avoids a crowded pitch and hurt feelings.
- Have a consequence for no-shows. Removing someone who skips without notice is fair to the players who were on the waiting list.
- Bring the equipment yourself. When bibs, balls and goals are covered, a newcomer has nothing to buy and nothing to ask.
How FitHere helps
Rules like the waiting list and the RSVP deadline only work if the game has one place where people sign up. On FitHere, each game has its own event page. Players RSVP from the page, the waiting list moves up when someone drops out, and the organizer sees who is in without scrolling through a chat. You can share the same link in a Facebook group, Line or WhatsApp, and the number of confirmed players stays in one place. FitHere is free for organizers and players.
If you want to run your own game, you can host an event in 2 clicks, with no group to create first. If you want to play, you can see the group and its next game on the Terrible Football Taipei page, and follow their news in the Terrible Football Taipei Facebook group. For more on organizing in the city, read how to organize sport in Taipei.
Common questions
Who can play Terrible Football in Taipei?
Anyone aged 18 or over, of any ability and any gender. The group says you do not need to be fit, and beginners are given time on the ball.
Do I need to be good at football?
No. The group’s own description invites people who are “a bit unfit, a bit old, or a bit Terrible”. Rule 7 asks everyone to give beginners time on the ball and to receive the ball.
Where do they play?
On Chenguang Soccer Field (晨光足球場) in Taipei. Check the event page for the exact day and time of the next game.
What do I need to bring?
The organizers bring bibs, balls and goals. Bring what you need to play and be comfortable in, such as water and shoes that suit grass.
What if I can’t make it after I RSVP?
Change your RSVP the night before at the latest. If you don’t change it and you don’t show up, the group removes you, so other people can take your place.
Should I come if I am on the waiting list?
No. Rule 10 says waiting-list players should not attend the game. If a spot opens, you will be moved up from the list.
How do I start my own casual football game in Taipei?
Pick one pitch and one time, write a short set of rules, and set an RSVP deadline. Then create an event with a waiting list and share the link. The Taipei guide covers venues, weather and getting people to show up.