If you have a football match coming up, if your parents or a friend are making fun of you on your lack of knowledge about the Premier League, if you just want a new hobby, this is the article for you. 

Why be a football fan? Football is an incredible sport, not only is it entertaining, but it can also reward anyone with a sense of purpose and is a fantastic way to meet new people. To further help me weigh up this question, I went to a Chelsea match and asked Abigail Fewkes, a 16-year-old girl who has been supporting Chelsea for the last 4 years. She commented: “Although there have been issues, the football industry is progressively becoming more inclusive - fans are more supportive and encouraging towards one another. I think it’s a great experience.” She’s right; fans may have greatly contrasting views, but become united by football, and this is the most important connection to them, not anything else. Football also allows you to bond with family, fill in awkward pauses in conversation, and this globally recognised sport is guaranteed to make you friends anywhere.   

So, who am I and why do I have to key to it? I am a football fan. Not the biggest certainly, but one who went from knowing almost nothing, to finally being able to explain the offside rule and name two players on the team I support. So here is my ultimate guide to becoming a football fan. 

Find a team. Any team, but make sure they aren’t doing too badly. Teams with good reputations and good scores may get you classified as basic but will guarantee you a spot in the big leagues. 

Know at least two players on your team. It’s always good to know a couple of names to be able to know what is going on a bit better, but also because anytime anyone questions your dedication to football, they will ask you to name two players, so it’s always good to have a couple of names up your sleeve. 

Know the offside rule. This one is good to understand what is going on if it happens when you are watching a match, but similar to the previous step, you’ll almost always get asked to explain the offside rule. So here it is in simple terms:  

A player is offside if when in the attacking half, any part of their body (excluding hands) is closer to the opposition’s goal than both the ball and two defenders from the opposition. 

Watch a game. If you’ve already seen lots of football games briefly, you can skip this step, but if not, make sure you watch a couple games, just to get the hang of it. 

Learn at least one of your team’s chants. You can search this up on Google or ask someone you know who supports the same team as you. 

Track your team’s progress and watch their games. If you really want to and can, you can even buy season tickets, these give you access to see all your team’s home games. 

Just remember, when watching or playing a football match, all other opinions and possibilities seem to drift away. All that matters is the game.