Portable and Mini Soccer Nets
Portable soccer goals are perfect for when you want to get outside and get active. Easy to carry, transportable, and quick to set up, these goals can allow you to have a fun pickup game or a successful team or youth soccer practice without purchasing heavy-duty, expensive equipment. Even if you are just looking to work on personal skills and tricks, pop-up goals and mini soccer nets can be a great purchase.
They are also great for playing with your kids. We use ours for at-home practices and father-son scrimmages. Check out our guide to the best portable, mini, and pop-up soccer goals!
Practicing alone? Check out our favorite picks for Soccer Rebounders.
What to Look for When Purchasing a Portable Soccer Goal?
There are a few key points to keep an eye out for when purchasing a portable soccer goal. You want to make sure you get the best bang for your buck!
Easy Set-Up:
This is one of the most important things to look for! You want to make sure you can assemble the soccer goal not only by yourself but without hassle. So many goals require 2-3 people to assemble and require tools and other difficulties. If you are rushing to set up before practice or want to play a quick game for fun, fast set up is a must. Many will also make it fun for kids just by the way they “pop” open.
Portability:
Portability is essential. I mean it is a portable soccer goal, right? Having a sturdy, decent-sized bag to fit the goal into, along with a comfortable strap and good quality material is crucial to prevent ripping and damage. It is important that the goal can be folded down into a smaller size to fit all cars. Make sure your portable or pop-up soccer goal can be easily disassembled or folded and fit in a bag, for quick storage.
Durability:
We all know that soccer goals can be worn out easily. Continuous shots on goal, especially hard shots, can quickly wear down a net and create holes, or put bends in the supporting poles. You need to make sure that your goal is made of a strong, sturdy material that can last throughout practices and games. It is also important to make sure the stakes holding down the net are solid so that your goal does not go flying whenever someone takes a shot.
Size:
There are a variety of soccer goal sizes that range from small nets or goals for younger ages to large game sizes. Most goals will come with the option to select a size that fits your needs. 4’x3’ is the standard size for younger kids and for shooting practice. Older kids can benefit more as you make your way up to larger dimensions, such as 8’x5’ and 12’x6’. These larger sizes are better if you want to practice different kinds of shots, like free kicks, penalty kicks, header shots, harder shots, or even set pieces like corner kicks.
To learn more about goal size, check out our post. Soccer Goal Size.
What Are The Advantages Of Portable Soccer Goals, Or Pop Up Goals?
It’s simple! The versatility of being able to bring a goal anywhere is super convenient. If your team doesn’t have a set practice field, you can make do anywhere with a good quality portable goal. They are easy to transport to any location and quick to set up for on-the-go practice. If your team is in the offseason, you can get extra practice by setting up goals in your backyard to work on different drills or just play a fun pickup game.
Precautions to Using Portable Soccer Goals
While portable soccer goals are very easy to use and set up, there are some risks if not done so properly. It is very important to make sure that your goal is a strong, sturdy material– especially the stakes that hold it into the ground. If these stakes get loose or are not strong enough, there are serious risks of the goal falling and possibly landing on a player. Check out the article on the US Consumer Protection Safety Commission Site for more on safety precautions.
Portable soccer goals are still a great investment to use in your backyard for fun or at a field for practice — as long as you make sure you get a trustworthy, sturdy, and safe goal.
Portable and Pop Up Soccer Goal Reviews
#1. The Franklin Sports Blackhawk Portable Soccer Goal
The Franklin Sports Blackhawk Portable Soccer Goal is a great choice for a beginner portable goal! This goal is very lightweight and portable. It comes in 2 different sizes, so you can choose which fits your needs best. There is a 4’x3’ goal that is usually under $20 and a 6’x3’ goal that you can find for under $30. This goal is on the cheaper side, so the quality is not what you would get from a higher-end goal, but if you want a quick practice goal it will get the job done. It is made of durable fiberglass and steel, with peg hooks to keep it in the ground. This portable soccer goal also comes with a convenient carrying bag.
Pros:
- Pro: The Franklin Sports Blackhawk Portable Soccer Goal only takes about 5-7 minutes to set up. It is quick and easy!
- Pro: This goal is a cheaper price compared to many others. If you are on a budget or looking for something temporary, it will work great.
- Pro: This net works best for beginner players and those practicing with lighter shots.
Cons:
- Con: The poles are put together like those in a tent, so they tend to be a little loose and you may have to put it back together if it gets hit with a hard shot.
- Con: There is a strap on the bottom to hold the poles together, which can cause players to trip over it if they are not careful.
- Con: This goal is not very stable in high winds or with hard shots.
#2: GOLME PRO Pop Up Soccer Goal
The GOLME PRO Pop Up Soccer Goal comes in 3 different sizes; 2.5’, 4’, and 6’. Because they are smaller, this pop up goal is perfect for younger players of all ages and skill levels. GOLME also offers a 30 day trial and 365-day warranty so you can make sure you love the product. This goal is bright orange and black and features a reflective silver lining around the edge which is perfect for nighttime use. The GOLME PRO features attached anchoring stakes and is designed to easily twist flat for transportation purposes.
Pros:
- Pro: This goal is very easy to set up and take down.
- Pro: Perfect for younger players who are new to the game and need a smaller net size.
- Pro: It easily fits into a bag for transportation and storage
Cons:
- Con: After a few months of use, the net can start to wear out and tear around the edges
- Con: The attached stakes are made out of a cheap plastic material, which makes it harder to stay secure in the ground.
#3: SKLZ Quickster Soccer Goal
The SKLZ Quickster Soccer Goal is a little pricier, but it is worth it! It sits in the middle of the price scale, so the quality is better than some of the cheaper options. This goal comes in three different sizes; 6’x4’, 8’x5’, and 12’x6’. This goal is bigger, so it works great for older, more experienced players and can work for practice or scrimmages. It is extremely easy to set up and is very portable. The SKLZ Quickster Goal features unique “tension-tite poles” which help keep it up and secure during all types of shots. The net of this goal attaches to the poles with velcro that wraps around it, and the stakes are made of sturdy steel.
Pros:
- Pro: Only takes 2 minutes to set up! Great for on-the-go and quick games.
- Pro: This goal comes in larger sizes that work for older players and stronger shots.
- Pro: It is a good option for practicing free kicks and placement shooting training.
Cons:
- Con: The corner joints have a tendency to break after hard use.
- Con: The velcro used to attach the net to the poles can come off and unlatch easily.
#4: PowerNet Soccer Goal
The PowerNet Soccer Goal comes in a larger size, 12’x6’, and is typically more expensive. Although it is more expensive, the quality makes up for it. This goal is instantly portable and collapsible, which is important for transporting larger goals. The PowerNet Soccer goal also does not require tools for setup, so it truly is great for on-the-go use. It is made of a metal base frame, fiberglass poles, and metal stakes with a sturdy build. Being a larger size, this goal is perfect for older players, scrimmages, practices, goalie training, and more.
Pros:
- Pro: One person can easily set up this goal on their own.
- Pro: Made of strong materials so it can survive powerful shots without falling over or breaking.
- Pro: Larger form factor.
Cons:
- Con: Much more expensive than the other portable goals
- Con: Cheaper net material, wears out and seams can rip after time
- Con: Heavier to carry because of the bigger size
#5: PUGG 6 Foot Portable Pop Up Soccer & Football Goal
The Pugg 6 Foot Portable Soccer & Football Goal boxed set is a classic when it comes to pop up goals. This is the latest version of the original from 1994. The name PUGG actually stands for Pick-Up Game Goal.
PUGG was originally founded by Bob Arnell because he wanted to create a portable goal that was easy to set up and solved the problem we’ve all had when playing pickup without goals. You know when you use bags or cleats as goal posts.
“That wasn’t a goal! “
“Yes it was, it went right in here!”
“No, no the ball was on the other side of the shoe!”
You know the scenario. Arnell’s message is with a PUGG pop up soccer goal you never have this argument.
The PUGG goals are easy to set up and pretty much just pop into shape. They are also easy to pack up. It only takes a twist of the wrist to fold it down and put it in the bag. Although I have to admit it does take a bit of practice before you can do it in one movement.
PUGG pop-up goals have superior construction. They use a steel frame instead of fiberglass. This is more durable, flexible, and nearly impossible to break. They also include a Lifetime Warranty. PUGG has also introduced weighted pop-up goal versions to their line-up. This helps with wind and harder shots.
They come in a variety of portable sizes.
- The Original 4 Footer
- Little Beast 3-Footer Weighted Pop Up
- Mini One-V-One Pop Up Goals
- U90 4 Footer Pop Up (Square version)
Pros:
- Pro: This goal is very easy to set up and take down. You could say it pops right out!
- Pro: Perfect for younger players or for backyard fun.
- Pro: It easily folds into a bag for transportation and storage
- Pro: Steel Frame
- Pro: Lifetime Warranty
Cons:
- Con: They aren’t made for really hard shots. If you shoot too hard they can flop around and the stakes sometimes fly out. But hey, that’s not the point of pickup anyway.
Our Favorite Portable Soccer Goal (Pop up Soccer Goal):
Overall we love the PUGG goals!
This pop-up goal is perfect for small-sided games or for youth practices. They have a variety of sizes. The goals are great for coaches of all levels because they can set up small-sided fields in seconds. They are easily transported in the provided bag and they are also the perfect size for backyard soccer games with the kids. My family uses ours for father/son pickup games.
For an alternative, we like the PowerNet Soccer Goal simply because of the larger goal size. This portable goal is better for practicing more realistic soccer or set pieces. Players can work on bending the ball around the wall to score the perfect free-kick.
