9 Best Soccer Side Hustles (if you don’t play)
If you love soccer and want to earn extra money doing what you love, then you’re in luck! There are plenty of soccer side hustles out there that can help you make some extra cash. If you still play and try to make it, keep doing that! We are cheering for you and want to see you sign that big contract! However, if you no longer play the game, you can still earn money from soccer-related activities. Being around the game helps you stay fit and from time to time have a shot at the goal. You know, just to show off. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best soccer side hustles that you can start today. We are looking at non-fulltime opportunities only, meaning gigs you can do in your spare time on weekends and evenings to supplement your income.
What are the best soccer side hustles?
Soccer referee
Instant pay
Get yelled at
Adult league organizer
Scalable
Hard to start
Soccer photographer
Freelance
New clients
Be a Soccer Referee ($20-$50 per hour)
It’s all about supply and demand, and there is a very low supply of soccer referees, so the payout is good. If you have a good understanding of the rules of soccer and can remain calm under pressure, then becoming a soccer referee could be the perfect side hustle for you. Referees earn differently depending on the level of competition and their experience. You can start by officiating games at the youth level and work your way up to more competitive games. Assistant referees are also paid and have way less pressure to perform well. The fitness you get by being a referee is just a bonus and there is no chance of injuries.
Organize an Adult League ($-$$$$)
If you have good organizational skills and can bring people together, then organizing an adult soccer league could be a great option. It’s usually an evening and/or weekend activity, so it can definitely work as a great side hustle. You can charge teams a fee to participate and more or less break even with that, plus a little bit of earnings. Then you can make the big bucks from sponsorships and concessions. This is a great option for those who enjoy working with others and want to create a fun and competitive environment for adult players. Note that it might take some time to get it going and several seasons before you start making real money. Organizing a youth league is a different
Photographer of Soccer Players ($50-$500 per hour)
Parents want great photos of their kids to brag to their friends? Yes. Players want photos and videos for their social media or college applications? Yes, please! Clubs want pictures for their website? Cha-ching!
If you like taking photos or filming, this is a great side hustle. It takes only a bit of time and the huge bonus is that you work only in good weather. Think about it – nobody wants their photos taken when it’s raining. Most of the other side hustles are rain or shine, but not this one. Also, when there is a tournament, the per-hour rate is just amazing.
Be a 1:1 Soccer Coach ($30-$100 per hour)
If you have experience playing soccer and enjoy teaching others, then becoming a 1:1 soccer coach could be a great option for you. You can charge anywhere from $30 to $100 per hour, depending on your level of experience and the level of coaching required. This is a great option for those who enjoy working with individuals and can tailor their coaching to a specific player’s needs. At the very young age, it’s all about being an animator and it can look like you are a babysitter. But if you like working with kids, go have fun and get paid very well for it.
Be a Youth Team Soccer Coach ($2000-$5000 per year)
If you are just starting your path of coaching soccer or are experienced, and enjoy working with young players, then becoming a youth team soccer coach could be a great option. You can earn anywhere from $500 to $2,000 per season, depending on the level of competition. This is a great option for those who enjoy working with teams and can help players develop their skills while also having fun. Also, it often works great with logistics if you have your own kid on the team. The commitment is definitely higher than individual coaching and it can be more complex, too. Find a good club that is managed well and that takes care of most of the headaches.
Ghost-writing for Soccer Stars ($25,000-$250,000)
We love reading the stories of famous soccer players, coaches, agents, referees, scouts.… But let’s face it, even the books that claim they are autobiographies are not written by them. Many of these folks are great at telling a story – they have to sell a story to the players to join their team or hire them. However, when it comes to writing books, they always hire professional writers. If you like writing and you like the topic of soccer, this is a great side hustle to really dig deep into some of the life stories. Almost all of them have human interest stories, especially the US soccer stars, and are very relatable, so it is fun to explore those areas from a different angle.
Filming Games and Analytics ($50-$150 per hour)
If you like analytics and data, then helping the smaller teams is an option for you. Veo and Trace are the most obvious options for recording and streaming sports. Often the clubs are too small to afford this kind of camera. While there is an upfront cost, it is easy to quickly make your money back. All you need to do is get several teams to agree that they will pay you for filming their games or even streaming them. Parents are happy to pay for videos of their kids to share with them, send them to professional coaches for feedback, or just send them to their out-of-town families for bragging rights. It takes some time to make connections, but after you set the camera, you can just sit in your car drinking cocoa while everybody else is freezing outside.
Writing Soccer News ($10-$100 per article)
If you are just a passionate soccer enthusiast at home and don’t want to step outside of your laptop, there is an option for you. Turn your love for the sport into a fulfilling side hustle by writing articles twice a week for soccer news platforms. Look at the video of the game in your PJs and share your insights and analysis… still in your PJs! You can write match recaps and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and transfer rumors. The most amazing thing – you can just write about your own favorite team. If you want to write formally, that’s fine. If you want to write rival banter, there will be an audience for that, too. As long as there are people interested in reading, it’s a great side hustle that rarely feels like work.
Organize a youth summer camp ($500-$3000 per day)
If you have experience working with children and enjoy creating fun and educational programs, then organizing a youth summer soccer camp could be a great option. Parents try to get their kids enthusiastic by getting them all the soccer toys when they are young. However, they need more peer support as they get older. You can charge parents a fee for their children to participate and earn money from sponsorships and donations. This is a great option for those who enjoy working with youth and want to create a positive and memorable experience for young soccer players.
The soccer side hustles future
In conclusion, there are plenty of soccer side hustles out there that can help you earn extra money doing what you love. Most of us would watch, play and talk soccer for free and have done most of our lives. They say “Do what you love and you won’t have to work another day in your life”. Whether you prefer to work with individuals or teams, adults or children, there is a soccer side hustle that is perfect for you. So why not turn your love of soccer into a profitable side hustle today?