So … the 2016 FA Cup Final will take place on 21 May in London between Manchester United and Crystal Palace.

 

Ready to party?

 

Of course you are.

 

Regardless of whether you’re a fan of either club, you can still enjoy the big day with a Cup Final party - and you’ve got plenty of time to plan a great evening. Here are our tips for a great Cup Final:

 

  • Make sure your guests know that you’re having a Big Match Special at your place - if necessary, beg, borrow or rent a big screen to show the game on.
  • Offer prizes for the best fancy football themed fancy dress - that should create some great costumes (if you’re attending a Cup Final party at somebody else’s house, we think our Subbuteo fancy dress is going to win you some prizes)
  • Work on some great football snacks to hand around - sliced oranges (popped into in colour themed cocktails of course), chips in take-out boxes etc. Try out any unfamiliar ideas on your family so you know if they are a success - football pizza for example is brilliant but takes a bit of planning
  • Hire in some glasses and buy paper plates and plastic cutlery - it’s only footie after all
  • Striped cups like referee jerseys, food labels in the form of fan rosettes and so on
  • Make sure you’ve got lots of flags to wave - no rattles though, they get very anti-social very quickly!
  • Place a bet … what have you got to lose?

 

On the day you can play some games -  making up football chants about the people who are at the party is a hoot, for example. Remember to be finished by 17:30pm sharp for the start of the match - and make sure you have a break-out room for those who aren’t so into the game. That way you can drift off if you’re not a huge football fan and still have fun with the other non-fans without interfering with the intense football watching of the ‘real’ fans.