Investment from
£8,500
Category
Sports Franchises
Established
2017
About This Franchise
Football Fun Factory is the number one children's football coaching organisation in the country, founded in 2017 and franchising since 2019. With over 100 franchisees across the UK and Ireland, the brand delivers weekly football sessions, holiday camps, parties and events for boys and girls aged two to twelve. Backed by former Manchester United player Luke Chadwick and with partnerships including Center Parcs, it is a fast-growing franchise opportunity for football lovers and ambitious entrepreneurs alike.
A detailed look at the Football Fun Factory Franchise franchise opportunity, what's involved and what makes it stand out.
For many people who love football, the idea of building a career around it feels like a dream. The Football Fun Factory Franchise makes that dream a reality. Founded in 2017 and beginning to franchise in 2019, the brand has grown at an extraordinary pace, expanding to over 100 franchisees operating across the UK and Ireland. Each franchise delivers the Football Fun Factory's unique programme of football sessions for boys and girls aged two to twelve, building a love of the game through fun, creative and age-appropriate coaching experiences.
The brand has established partnerships with some of the biggest names in UK leisure, including Center Parcs, where Football Fun Factory experiences are now hosted at holiday park locations. Former Manchester United footballer Luke Chadwick is a director of the business and leads franchise recruitment, bringing credibility, football expertise and a personal connection to the sport that resonates strongly with prospective franchisees and parents alike.
The Football Fun Factory Franchise is designed to work for a range of candidates, from hands-on football coaches to business-focused managers. There are three main franchise options:
The Football Fun Factory Franchise fee includes everything needed to launch and operate the business. Franchisees receive:
Children's physical activity is a national priority. Football is the most popular sport in the country for children and adults alike, and the Football Fun Factory's age-appropriate, inclusive approach opens the market to children who might not otherwise engage with structured sport. The model generates revenue across multiple streams: weekly sessions, school holiday camps, birthday parties and events.
According to Sport England research on children and youth sport, sustained engagement with sport in early childhood has long-term benefits for physical and mental health, making the work of Football Fun Factory franchisees both commercially viable and genuinely impactful.
The Football Fun Factory was born out of a simple frustration with how children's football was usually delivered, where pressure to win too often crowded out the joy of playing. The brand's growth from a single Cambridgeshire community session to a UK and Ireland network reads less like a business plan and more like a snowball that picked up momentum once the model proved itself.
The Center Parcs relationship is one of the franchise's most distinctive assets, and its origin story is genuinely accidental. Director Luke Chadwick has written about how the idea came to him while playing tennis with his youngest son at a Center Parcs village, around the time the resort group was reviewing its football activity offering. A one-month pilot at Elveden Forest gave both sides the confidence to roll the experience out across the wider estate.
From June 2022, Football Fun Factory branded sessions, including the giant inflatable football pitch and football dartboard, have been delivered as a guest activity at five UK villages and at Longford Forest in Ireland. Internal Center Parcs guest data shows the experience is now consistently voted the number one activity on the resort, with around 40,000 guests taking part each year.
Outside the leisure-park work, the wider franchise has picked up meaningful third-party recognition. Football Fun Factory was named Franchisor of the Year at the 2024 Disruptive Franchise Awards, was recognised at the Best Franchise Awards, and placed 70th in the Elite Franchise Top 100 for 2024. For prospective franchisees weighing one children's activity brand against another, this kind of independent franchising-sector validation often matters more than slick marketing material, because the awards are judged in part on franchisee feedback rather than on company self-reporting.
The rhythm of a Football Fun Factory week will vary by territory and franchise model, but the shape below is broadly representative of the management-model operator running a team of head coaches across multiple session locations.
The market backdrop is firmly in the franchise's favour. Sport England's Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, which samples over 100,000 children aged 5 to 16 each academic year, consistently identifies football as the most-played team sport among children in England, with around four in ten children having taken part in football in the previous week. At the same time, only around half of children meet the Chief Medical Officers' guideline of 60 minutes of activity per day. Parents are looking for structured, fun, low-pressure ways to get their kids moving, and a coaching brand that explicitly leans into enjoyment over competition is well placed to capture that demand.
The opportunity will resonate most with people who genuinely care about the social and developmental side of children's sport, not just the football itself. The Head Coach model fits qualified coaches who want to be on the pitch every day. The management model, which is the most popular route, suits operators who would rather build and lead a team, run the marketing and grow a multi-venue business than coach every session themselves. A football background is helpful but not essential for the management route, and the head-office onboarding, bespoke media kit and centrally-run paid social campaigns are designed to take a complete newcomer to franchising from signed contract to first session in a structured way.
The Football Fun Factory Franchise offers three flexible models, big-name partnerships, and full marketing support. Request information through Franchise Hunt to explore territories.
Interested in exploring more opportunities in this sector? Take a look at other sports franchise opportunities available on Franchise Hunt.
See where this franchise sits compared to others on Franchise Hunt
Cheaper than
88%
£9k
Under £10k
Franchises Like This
Children Franchises
BabyBallers is a fast-growing toddler football academy delivering weekly classes for children aged 16 months to five years. Founded in Essex in 2015, the brand now runs more than 140 clubs nationwide, plus international locations, with a learning-through-play approach that develops coordination, confidence and basic football skills. With a low entry cost and flexible hours, it's an accessible franchise for first-time business owners.
Sports Franchises
Little Kickers is the world's leading pre-school football franchise, founded in London in 2002 by Christine Kelly and operating in 26 countries with 320+ franchises and around 80,000 children attending sessions every week globally. The brand delivers fun, curriculum-linked football classes for children aged 18 months to seven years, combining FA-qualified coaching with early years learning principles. Family-friendly, flexible and community-focused, it is a rewarding business with proven global scale.
Children Franchises
SportsCool is a market-leading provider of sports education for primary school children, established in 2008 by three former sports coaches. Operating across 30-plus territories, franchisees deliver PE lessons, after-school clubs, holiday camps and more to thousands of children each week. With a guaranteed income scheme, multiple revenue streams, and a consistent presence in the Elite Franchise Top 100, SportsCool offers a compelling route into the booming children's activity sector.
Children Franchises
Super Star Sport is the leading children's sports coaching franchise in the country, delivering fun, energetic sessions to over 25,000 children every week across 900+ locations. Founded in 2012 by Angelo Ciccarelli and now operating through 28+ franchise territories, the brand works with primary schools, nurseries, and early years settings to make every child's first experience of sport a positive one. A BFA Expanding Member with a proven model generating franchisee turnovers of £500,000 to £800,000+, Super Star Sport offers a purpose-driven business with strong demand and multiple revenue streams.
To find out more about the Football Fun Factory Franchise franchise opportunity, simply click below to fill out the form to speak with a representative from the brand.
Request Free Information Today
The minimum investment for a Football Fun Factory Franchise franchise starts from £8,500. This typically covers the franchise fee, training, and initial setup. Additional costs such as premises, equipment, and working capital may apply.
Yes, Football Fun Factory Franchise provides training for new franchisees. This typically covers operations, business management, marketing, and ongoing support to help you get started and grow your franchise.
Football Fun Factory Franchise offers third party financing options to help prospective franchisees fund their investment. Contact the franchise directly for details on available funding support.
Football Fun Factory Franchise was established in 2017. With 9 years of experience, the brand has built a track record in the UK franchise market.
Football Fun Factory Franchise currently has 100 franchise outlets operating across the UK, demonstrating network coverage and brand presence.
Football Fun Factory Franchise franchise opportunities are available across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Contact the franchisor through the enquiry form to confirm specific territory availability in your area.
