The Football Coin Toss
Football's toss is quick and easy to miss, but it decides three separate things across a match. Here is what the referee is doing and why captains sometimes choose ends over kick-off.
Before kick-off
The referee brings both captains together in the centre circle and tosses a coin. One captain calls. Under the Laws of the Game, the team that wins the toss chooses either which goal to attack in the first half, or to take the kick-off. The other team gets whichever choice is left over. The teams change ends at half-time.
Kick-off or ends — which should you pick?
Kick-off gives you the ball for a few seconds; it is rarely a real advantage at any level. Choosing ends is often the smarter call because it can be worth something concrete:
- Sun and wind: take the awkward end in the first half so you have the advantage in the second, when legs are tired and games are usually decided.
- Slope or surface: on amateur pitches a slope is a genuine factor, and most sides prefer to play downhill late.
- Your supporters: many teams choose to attack the end where their own crowd stands in the second half.
The second toss: penalty shootouts
If a knockout tie goes to penalties, the referee tosses again — twice, in effect. The first decision selects which goal the shootout is taken at, based on factors such as ground condition, safety and lighting. Then a toss decides which team takes the first kick; the winner chooses whether to go first or second.
Most teams choose to shoot first. The pressure of always having to score just to stay in the shootout is widely believed to weigh on the side kicking second, although studies disagree about how large that effect really is.
Extra time
When a match goes to extra time, another toss is used to decide ends and kick-off for the additional period, exactly as at the start of the match.
Running a fair toss online
Five-a-side, park football and youth matches often start without a coin. An online flip is fine as long as both captains watch it happen.
- Open the flipper and choose the football coin.
- Agree aloud which captain is heads and which is tails.
- Flip once with the screen in view of both sides.
- The winner picks ends or kick-off.
Flip the football coin now. Our coin is original artwork and is not an official FIFA or UEFA match coin.
Common questions
Who calls the toss in football?
The referee decides which captain calls; in most competitions it is the away captain, but the laws leave the detail to the officials.
Can the winner choose both kick-off and ends?
No. The winner takes one choice and the opponent automatically receives the other.
What if the coin lands on edge or rolls away?
The referee simply tosses again.