How to Eat and Fuel Before a Football Match to Perform Your Best
- Neil Livemore
- May 3
- 11 min read
Updated: Jun 19
Contents
Proper football nutrition plays a crucial role in optimising football performance. A well-planned nutrition strategy leading up to matchday and the hours before can significantly impact energy levels, focus, and overall performance on the field. Adequate fuelling can help footballers cover more distance, maintain higher speeds, improve reaction times and maintain technical skills, and reduce the onset of fatigue. However, the wrong nutrition can sabotage performance and, even worse, cause us to withdraw from play completely with issues such as cramps, gastrointestinal (GI) distress, or substitution due to obvious fatigue.
At our London-based sports nutrition clinic, we support many athletes across different sports, both locally and remotely. Our expertise as sports nutritionists allows us to craft bespoke strategies that enhance performance. Below, we detail some key approaches our footballers use for performance nutrition leading up to match day.
Key Nutrition Goals for Matchday Performance
"What's the best food to eat before a football match to perform my best?"
This is a question sports nutritionists often hear. While everyone is different, with varying preferences, rituals, schedules, and resources, there will always be some trial and refinement around "best recommendations" for each player. It's also important to note that all strategies should first be trialled in training, never on match day itself.
For optimal matchday performance focus on these nutrition goals
Optimal fuel (carbohydrates) in the tank to perform your best.
Optimal hydration to support performance.
Strategic supplements to aid performance.
Timed strategies to peak at the right time and reduce the risk of adverse outcomes.
And maybe the most important are strategies that work for you and you feel good using.
For tailored guidance on achieving these match-day nutrition goals and comprehensive support for all your competition and event fuelling needs, find out how we support athletes and active individuals to eat and fuel around competition and events here.
Nutrition the Day Before (Match Day -1)
The day before a match is when the serious fuelling begins.
Key nutrition goals of Matchday -1
Load up on carbohydrates to fill up the fuel stores in your liver and muscle.
Achieve optimal hydration and maintain it throughout the day.
Maintain other nutrition strategies e.g. dietary quality and protein intake as usual.
Why is nutrition important the day before a match?
The day before the match is when the work starts. Carbohydrate is the predominant fuel during a match (about 60-70% of fuel used). Although it takes time to increase fuel stores within the muscles and liver (your two primary petrol tanks where fuel is stored for later use), it takes time to increase carbohydrate stores to support performance; however, these stores also run out rapidly. Even when fuelling optimally, a primary challenge is maintaining fuel levels and performance until the full-time whistle, where research has shown that around 50% of muscle fibres are empty, or almost empty of fuel at full-time (Krustrup et al., 2006). This is a key reason performance often drops off in the final 30 minutes and how fully fuelled, less fatigued impact substitutes can come on and make a huge difference. Therefore, to prepare for the demands, footballers must start fuelling the day before.
Why do we need so much fuel?
The simple answer is that football matches are demanding,
Outfield players sprint, change direction, make contact with other players and are constantly moving. Heart rate is maintained at 85% of maximum. Players may cover distances of approximately 10-13km (Anderson et al., 2016), including 1150m of high-intensity running, 350m of sprinting and 57 sprints with estimated energy expenditure between 1300-1600kcal. Technical skill is also essential, as players perform complex dribbles, pass, and shoot, all of which deplete energy stores (Rollo., 2023).
So how much carbohydrate do we need?
Current research and the UEFA Expert Group Statement recommend 6-8g per kg of body mass. This is about 420-560g of carbohydrates for a 70kg footballer. This is probably best consumed with 4-5 high-fuel feeds across the day, using high-fuel snacks such as smoothies and high-fuel sides with main meals.
Research recommends 6-8g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight on the day before a match. That's 420-560g for a 70kg footballer.
What Does Carbohydrate Loading Look Like?
Notice in the images/examples above that there are lots of high-carbohydrate options, such as carbohydrate sides (e.g., banana for breakfast, apple crumble for dessert), high-fuel snacks (e.g., Soreen loaf in the evening), and strategic high-carb smoothies during the day.
How much carbohydrate do I need?
The chart below shows how many carbohydrates are needed per kg of body weight compared to the 6-8g recommended.
Hydration
Hydration is an often overlooked component of pre-match preparation. A good baseline of adequate hydration should always be maintained and continued the day before a match. Many players start training and matches dehydrated, while being well-hydrated will support performance, cognitive function, core body temperature and reduce cardiovascular stress and delay fatigue.
Hydration can vary significantly between athletes, depending on individual sweat rates (which can be estimed in the field through various calculations), differing levels of activity, and different environmental factors. A good strategy for hydration is to hydrate early and achieve clear urine. Hydrate during training and replace any losses from the training session (drink 1.5 x weight loss, e.g. 1kg weight loss equals 1.5 more litres) and maintain throughout the day.
Electrolytes
Optimal hydration for footballers, especially those with high sweat rates or what we call "salty sweaters", playing in hot, humid conditions, may require electrolytes. These essential minerals, particularly sodium, play important roles in maintaining hydration, fluid balance, and nerve and muscle function. Losing significant amounts of electrolytes wihtout replacing them can impact fluid retention and contribute to fatigue.
For footballers anticipating heavy sweating, incorporating electrolytes into their pre-match hydration strategy can be highly beneficial. This can involve consuming electrolyte-rich drinks or electrlytes tablets the day before and at specific meals on match day. Even slightly salting meals (if otherwise low in sodium) can contribute to meeting needs. The goal is to ensure your body can effectively absorb and retain the fluids you're consuming, setting the stage for peak performance on match day.
"On the day before a game, achieve clear urine early on the day and keep hydration topped up"
MD-1 Summary
The day before is essential to optimise fuel and hydration and maximise performance for tomorrow's match. Consuming 6-8g of carbohydrates (for example, 420-560g of carbs for a 70kg player) will help maximise your fuel tanks (your liver and muscles). Consuming consistent high-fuel meals with carbohydrate-based sides (e.g. fruit bowl, rice pudding, apple crumble) and carbohydrate-based snacks (such as a smoothie, bananas on toast, yoghurt with banana and honey) can make targets more achievable. Hydration is the other key goal; consuming liquids early, achieving clear urine and staying hydrated during and after MD-1 training will support match-day performance. Consider adding electrolytes, to liquids the day before if you're a high/salty sweater or playing in hot conditions, to enhance fluid retention.
Nutrition for Matchday
Matchday continues the work of the day before; if you have to play catch up, you may need more time to fuel and hydrate optimally.
Key goals
Replace overnight fuel and hydration losses and continue the work done the day before topping up fuel stores and maintaining hydration.
Consume an appropriate pre-match meal approximately three hours before.
Minimise adverse outcomes (for example, GI distress from too much fibre/fat close to intense activity)
Utilise any strategic supplements.
"Matchday continues the work of the day before; if you have to play catch up, you may need more time to fuel and hydrate optimally"
The Morning of a Match
Kick-off time will dictate how many meals are consumed throughout the day before the match. Mid-day kick-off means breakfast will be the last main meal (the pre-match meal), and a 17:00 kick-off means more meals will be consumed, likely breakfast, lunch, and then the pre-match meal around 2 p.m.
The image below shows the total meals for different days.
Nutrition Strategies the Hours Before
The Pre-match Meal (Kickoff - 3 hours)
Fuel
The pre-match meal is the last primary meal to top up fuel stores. Recommendations are typically 1-3g per kg of body weight or 70-210g of carbohydrates for a 70kg footballer. The pre-match meal should be easily digestible, low in fibre, comfortable to consume, and happily part of each footballer's pre-match ritual. Protein and vegetables should be easy-to-consume options. To achieve the target, use strategic sides, such as desserts, fruit, wholegrain rolls, and carbohydrate-containing drinks. The images below show examples of meals and sides to help achieve targets.
Hydration is also a key focus during the pre-match meal. To help ensure optimal hydration, recommendations of 5-7 ml per kg of body weight (350-490ml for a 70kg player). For those with high sweat rates or playing in warm environments, choosing an electrolyte-containing fluid, saltier meal, or adding an effervescent electrolyte tablet to your drink, as part of this pre-match hydration can further support fluid retention and prevent imbalances.
Use strategic carbohydrate-based sides
Example of a Pre-Match Meal
Leading Up (Between Pre-match Meal and Warm-up)
Now that the final primary pre-match meal has been consumed, the primary goal is maintaining hydration by sipping liquids at around 2-3ml per kg of body mass (about 140ml - 210ml is sensible). Consider adding electrolytes to liquids leading up, especially those prone to high sweat rates or playing in hot conditions. Some players may prefer a small top of simple carbs to further prime fuel stores for kick-off. These should be low in fibre and switch more to white/easily digestible options such as fruit, carbohydrate-based drinks, flapjack, and Soreen bars.
Example of optional fuelling snacks between the pre-match-meal and kick-off
Warming Up / Pre-match (Final Opportunity)
This is the final opportunity to consume some very easily digestible foods, supplements, or drinks during the warm-up. Notice how they are all simple sugars and quick-acting. Aiming for approximately 60g of carbohydrates can help maximise your stores and keep fuel topped up. While warming up, this may look like a bottle of sports drink and a gel in the changing room. These sources will deliver energy through the first half and support target carbohydrate and hydration recommendations.
Strategic Supplements: The "Food First, Not always Food Only" Approach
For optimising football performance, a "food first" philosophy is paramount. Whole-food nutrition forms the bedrock for achieving the diversity and density of nutrients needed for energy, recovery, and overall health. However, for elite and aspiring athletes, it's a "not food only" approach. Certain nutrients can be challenging to obtain at optimal levels through diet alone. This is where strategically integrated, evidence-based supplements can offer a distinct advantage, acting as supplemental support at key times to enhance performance.
While you might be familiar with various specific supplements, including Vitamin D, probiotics, Omega-3s, and multivitamins, these, like all supplements, are best approached on a case-by-case basis. Their inclusion should always be part of an individualised strategy to ensure they meet precise nutritional needs and performance goals.
Caffeine:
Enhances alertness, reduces fatigue perception, and improves sprint performance. Optimal dosage (e.g., 3-6 mg/kg about 200mg for a 70kg player) and timing can differ depending on delivery method (approx. 30-60 mins pre-match, and caffeine gum about 10-15 minutes before) are individual, and would fall within lower range.
Creatine Monohydrate:
Enhances high-intensity, intermittent power for sprints and repeated efforts crucial in football by supporting rapid energy (ATP) regeneration. Requires consistent daily intake (e.g., 3-5g/day) to build muscle stores, typically reaching saturation over 3-4 weeks, not just on match day.
Dietary Nitrates (e.g., Beetroot Juice):
Converted to nitric oxide (NO) in the body, dietary nitrates improve oxygen efficiency and delay fatigue, particularly in later match stages. Dosing typically involves either an acute intake of approximately 400-500mg of nitrate (e.g., 1-2 concentrated beetroot juice shots) taken 2-3 hours pre-match, or a loading phase of the same 400-500mg dose daily for 3-7 days prior to a match.
Beta-Alanine:
Increases muscle carnosine levels, acting as an intramuscular buffer to delay fatigue during high-intensity actions such a repeated sprints and intense periods of play in football. Dosing typically involves 3.2-6.4g per day, taken consistently over 4-12 weeks to build muscle stores for optimal effect. To mitigate the common tingling sensation (paraesthesia), split doses throughout the day (e.g., 0.8-1.6g per serving).
For safety and to avoid inadvertent doping, supplements should be third-party batch tested by reputable certification bodies. In the UK, a leading example is Informed Sport, while in America, NSF Certified for Sport is a prominent standard. While nothing is 100% safe, these programmes rigorously test each product batch for prohibited substances, offering greater assurance of purity and safety. Always look for their logo.
Strategic Integration & Testing in Training:
Never trial a new supplement on match day. All new interventions must be rigorously tested in training under simulated match conditions. This assesses individual tolerance, efficacy, and side effects. For accurate assessment, test one new supplement at a time.
Consultation Remains Key
While supplements can play a role, their impact is secondary to thorough nutrition strategies, and recovery. Individualised professional guidance is essential to ensure efficacy, safety, and alignment with your unique goals.
Overall Summary
Matchday-1: Where nutrition prep starts.
Load up on fuel and hydrate well. Consume high carbohydrates (approximately 6-8g per kg of body weight, about 420-540g of carbohydrates over the day). Hydrate well and achieve clear urine early. Recover any water losses from training.
Matchday: Continue your work from the day before.
Continue the strategy from the day before, with high-fuel meals and good hydration. Kick-off time will dictate how many meals you consumed. Early kick-off may mean just one meal (the pre-match meal) is consumed for breakfast.
Pre-Match Meal (Kick-off -3 hours)
The final primary fuelling meal (pre-match meal) should be about three hours before kick-off. Should contain:
High fuel (approximately 1-3g per kg of body mass (70-210g) for 70kg player
Easily digestible (low fibre, easily digestible protein options).
Hydrate well (5-7ml of water per kg of body mass (350-490ml), consider using electrolytes if you are a salty sweater or playing in hot conditions.
Supplements (consider timed supplements such as nitrate shot)
Leading up
Continue to sip liquids and keep hydration topped up, about 2-3ml per kg of body mass (about 140ml - 210ml is sensible. Consider adding electrolytes, especially those prone to high sweat rates or playing in hot conditions. Some players may want to consume a high-fuel snack to keep fuel levels topped up, especially during an early morning kickoff when there will not be as many meals to replace losses from overnight.
Warm Up (minutes before)
Last chance, aiming for approximately 60g of carbohydrates can help maximise your stores and keep fuel topped up. This may look like a bottle of sports drink and a gel in the changing room while warming up. This will both deliver the target carbohydrate recommendations and a final delivery of extra hydration.
Match Day Nutrition Schematic: A Visual Guide
Elevate Your Matchday Performance & Master Your Fuelling
Elevate your match-day performance with a truly personalised nutrition strategy. Ready to discuss your specific fuelling needs for football nutrition, or explore our wider support for athletes and active individuals?
Contact Neil Livemore Consulting today on the form at the base of this page to achieve your best.
Further reading:
Collins, J., (2021). UEFA expert group statement on nutrition in elite football. Current evidence to inform practical recommendations and guide future research. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(8), 416–416.
Maughan, R. J., Burke, L. M., Dvorak, J., Larson-Meyer, D. E., Peeling, P., Phillips, S. M., Rawson, E. S., Walsh, N. P., Garthe, I., Geyer, H., Meeusen, R., Loon, L. J. C. van, Shirreffs, S. M., Spriet, L. L., Stuart, M., Vernec, A., Currell, K., Ali, V. M., Budgett, R. G., … Engebretsen, L. (2018). IOC consensus statement: Dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(7), 439–455.
Krustrup, P., Mohr, M., Steensberg, A., Bencke, J., Kjaer, M., & Bangsbo, J. (2006). Muscle and blood metabolites during a soccer game: implications for sprint performance. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 38(6), 1165–1174.
Rollo, I., & Williams, C. (2023). Carbohydrate Nutrition and Skill Performance in Soccer. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 53(Suppl 1), 7–14.
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