How to play five-a-side soccer without knowing anyone

One or two players short: that is your spot

Five-a-side takes 10 players (big reveal). When a group has 8, it opens the game. On Poteau that is about one player-run game in two: only 1 or 2 people missing. Nobody sees you as an outsider, you are the player they are waiting for.

What you see before you go

You see who has already signed up, the price, the expected level and the place. The organizer's number is on their profile before the game, and every game has a chat. You can ask "are we playing in bibs?" before you arrive.

You pick the center, the day and the time. To see what exists near you: five-a-side in Paris, France, in Lyon, in Marseille or another city.

Level: do not kid yourself

This is the real worry: being too weak, or too strong for the group. Take the level quiz. It gives you a Poteau level from 1 to 10, with one decimal, shown on your profile. Every game shows the expected level. For a first game, pick one close to yours, or a game open to all levels.

Will the game really happen?

Not always. A game with 2 players signed up is played 8 times in 10. At 5 signed up, more than 9 times in 10. Pick an already well-filled game the first time, and keep a plan B.

Game day, in the locker room

Arrive 10 minutes early. Say your first name, your favorite position and whether you are happy to go in goal. Bring a light and a dark shirt, teams are picked on the spot.

You almost always pay on site, between €10 and €12 per player in Paris or Lyon (prices as seen on Poteau). Games get created late: two in three are posted less than 24 hours before kickoff. Check again on the day, more keep showing up.

And if it goes well?

You come back next week and already know a few faces. To find the next one, here is how to find one.

The Poteau Team