Football Party Decorating Ideas (For The Best Super Bowl Party Ever!)
Whether you are hosting a College football playoff bash or an awesome game day party, these Super Bowl party decorating ideas will make sure your football party is the year’s most anticipated event.
It’s the beginning of a new year and to a lot of people that means New Year’s resolutions, going back to the gym, and getting ready for football playoffs.
I have been hosting super bowl parties for too many years to count…and they have gained a reputation as THE super bowl party to attend among my friends.
Now with college football playoffs, there are even more opportunities for hosting football parties (especially since Clemson has been doing so well in the last couple of years…go Tigers!)
Having thrown so many football parties, I have some go-to Super Bowl party decorating ideas that always make my game day parties special.
1. Set Up Your Room Like A Sports Bar
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The first one of my Super Bowl party decorating ideas is more of a room arrangement than actual decorations. But without doing this, I would have some unhappy friends who couldn’t see the TV very well.
Since the cooking part of a Super Bowl party takes quite a bit of time, I limit the decorations to things that are necessary (arranging TV’s & furniture for the best viewing angles) and things that don’t require much effort.
I move television sets from all over the house into the living room and set them up like a sports bar so that people can see the game from anywhere. (If you have a large screen TV that everyone can see, this step may not be necessary for you.)
Then I move out all large pieces of furniture that take up space and don’t provide a lot of seating. My favorite chaise always gets moved to the garage for game day.
Finally, I find every extra table and chair I own (including the patio furniture from outside) and move them into the living room.
This is one party where I’m not too concerned about what it looks like…I just want to seat as many people as possible in the space.
If you live in an area where the weather could be nice enough to sit outside, setting up a seating section and TV outdoors allows people to go outside if they want to. Some people prefer to watch the game away from the crowd (and in my house I can use all the space I can find!)
Unlike most of my other parties, I try to avoid hanging things from the ceiling or creating tall centerpieces for the tables. Both of these tend to block the view of the TV’s. Since most people do actually want to see the game, I like to have as few TV-watching obstructions as possible.
2. Make a DIY Football Field Rug
For some reason, football parties seem to have more spills than usual (probably because of the number of people). So I like to take my area rugs out of the living room for the party.
I replace them with an inexpensive football field rug that adds to the game day atmosphere (and protects my hardwood floors).
3. Add Football Field Table Runners
The next one of my Super Bowl party decorating ideas is an easy and inexpensive way to decorate your tables.
I cut football field floor runners* into the right lengths to make runners for all of the surfaces in the room.
It helps to create a cohesive-looking football party decorating scheme.
4. Or Use The Glam Version Of Referee Stripes
The black and white stripes of a referee shirt are another great color combination for Super Bowl party decorations.
But since I like to do glam, I go for black and white leopard print tablecloths and zebra stripe chairs, instead of standard stripes.
These leopard print tablecloths were left over from my Alice In Wonderland party, so they didn’t cost my anything extra.
The black and white still looks good with my green football field rug.
5. Make Penalty Flag Napkin Holders
Print out a “Penalty Flag” sign and glue it to the front of a galvanized pail* for the perfect easy-to-access place to store napkins.
And they look great on the tables, too!
6. Dress Up Your Crock Pot
To make your crock pot seem like part of the décor, wrap it with football-themed napkins* and tape it at the sides.
I am always surprised at how many people think the crock pot actually comes this way!
7. Use Team Banners, Flags and Tableware
Use team-specific flags*, plates and napkins* for whoever is playing.
That way people can choose which side they’re supporting.
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Game Day Football Pennant Banner*
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Although I have to admit, since you don’t know very far in advance who is playing in games like the Super Bowl, it can be hard to find the team gear in stock.
When that happens, I go with some generic “game day” banners and tableware.
A DIY printable football banner is another party decor option that doesn’t cost anything to make.
Get the tutorial and free printable letters HERE.
I almost always use the Game Day plastic table covers* for my buffet area.
They are easy to clean up afterwards and when you put them out over a bunch of different sized tables, they all look like they belong together.
8. Make A Game Day Water Cooler
You can make your own version of this water cooler with a large drink dispenser on top of an overturned galvanized bucket.
Then print off a Water Break sign and tape it on the front.
9. Chill Beer In a Goal-Post Cooler
Inflatable Goal Post Cooler with Football**
The next one of my Super bowl party decorating ideas also provides more room for beer storage…always a good thing at my football parties.
A beer cooler with a goal post and a small blow up football allow your athletically-inclined guests to participate in the game (just make sure it’s in a location that they can’t break anything when their throws miss the mark).
10. Create Game Day Mason Jars
These DIY football mason jars from masonjarcraftslove.com are an awesome way to hold your straws and cutlery for your Super Bowl party.
Get the tutorials for how to make them HERE.
11. Keep Beer Cold In Referee Koozies
Use beer koozies* to keep beer cold.
They even come in referee shirts or team patterns if you want to keep the football theme going!
12. Provide Referee Punching Bags
Inflatable Referee Punching Bag*
I use a lot of props at my football parties to add the crowd participation factor.
This blow up referee punching bag has a weight in the bottom so it stands up on its own.
You’ll be surprised how many times people will get up to hit one of them when the refs make a bad call!
13. Use Props That Represent the Teams That Are Playing
If the teams or players have rituals or songs, use them to celebrate touchdowns, and get everyone involved in the game.
When the Seahawks were playing in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, we threw out packages of Skittles when Marshawn Lynch (a big Skittles fan) scored a touchdown.
When the New Orleans Saints were in the Super Bowl we sang “When the Saints Come Marching Home” whenever they scored.
Of course if it’s a college football game you’re watching, pretty much everyone knows the routine for their own team.
14. Act Like a Referee – Penalty Flags and All
Wear a referee shirt and get yourself a whistle. Then use it to announce penalties, field goals and touchdowns as they happen during the game.
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Get a penalty flag and a challenge flag, and throw them out into the middle of the guests whenever a penalty or challenge is called during the game.
If you go to live football games, some of the teams have announcers that involve the fans in their game calling, such as imitating the referee arm movements for first downs, touch downs and field goals. You can duplicate this fan involvement by acting as an announcer at your party (a mega phone helps) and getting your guests to do these arm motions as well.
15. Make Some Noise
Having noise makers such as cowbells, whistles or clappers available really lets people get involved in the game.
I usually put a couple out on every table.
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Just make sure you’re ready for the noise…I stop short of getting an air horn to save everyone’s ear drums.
16. Serve Jello Shots In Team Colors
Most of the time, my football guests are drinking beer. (I don’t go out of my way to make special cocktails for this crowd.)
However, the one thing that does go over well is jello shots.
I always make them in the colors of the teams that are playing, and serve them in jello shot cups with small plastic spoons. There are never any left at the end of the day.
Find jello shot recipes by color HERE.
17. Use Food As Football Decor
Create a Game Day Nacho Bar
A Nacho bar allows people to put together their own nachos.
Provide a bowl of tortilla chips along with crockpot Cheese sauce, sauteed ground beef, home-made salsa, tomatoes, jalapenos, guacamole, olives, sour cream and any other ingredients you like to add to nachos.
People actually like to put their own plate together since they get exactly what they want. And it’s a time-saver for you since you don’t have to make them!
Add “Laces” To Deviled Eggs
Another way to add to your football party decor is to make your food look like footballs.
All kinds of food can be made to look like a football if you’re so inclined…add green onion “laces” to the top of deviled eggs, cover strawberries in chocolate and add icing laces, cut pita bread into the shape of footballs and serve with dip…pretty much anything that is somewhat oval-shaped can be made into edible football decor.
Make Football Brownie Cookies
Speaking of football shaped food… These “footballs” are actually made from brownie mix (yes, the kind that comes out of a box).
Get the details on how to make them HERE.
Use Game Day Toothpicks
These crockpot meatballs taste great and are easy to serve with toothpicks.
And I love to use these game day toothpicks* to go with the football decor.
That’s it for my list of football party ideas. Hopefully you have found some ideas for your own college playoff or super bowl party.
Other Football Party Ideas
Do you have any other suggestions for awesome Super Bowl party decorating ideas? Tell us in the section below.
Pin It So You Don't Forget It!
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This post was originally published on January 2, 2018 but was updated with new content on January 8, 2021.
