The Soccer Challenge was born out of necessity and creativity in the early 1990s. Written by our founder as his very first assignment while working for Charlton Athletic FC, the idea was sparked by a sudden change in the football landscape: the removal of the Coca-Cola reward scheme, which had previously incentivised child friendly Initiatives across English football.
With this shift, clubs faced a challenge. Tasked with revitalizing the club’s soccer programme, our founder set out to design something new and modern to keep the younger fan engaged and excited about learning and developing their skills.
What began as a simple idea to fill a gap quickly evolved into a rejuvenated fully fledged Soccer Challenge programme; an engaging, educational, and entertaining feature that has been enjoyed by thousands over the years. It combines football drills, fun tasks, and match experience, helping to build a stronger connection between young players, supporters and the beautiful game.
Now, decades later, that same spirit of innovation and fan-focused creativity lives on through our evolving Soccer Challenge content; brought up to date with the use of technology that all our kids know and love with the encouragement to get outside and back to grass roots soccer.
A Note from the Founder
Tasked with rethinking the club’s soccer programme, I set out to create something fresh—something that would inspire, educate, and entertain the next generation of football lovers.
Today, decades later, the spirit behind the original challenge still lives on. We've refreshed and modernized the experience, using the technology that kids know and love—while still encouraging them to get outside, be active and make friends whilst developing their soccer skills.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
– Philip Albury
Creator of the Soccer Challenge
