Last Updated on October 19, 2023 by Emma
Do you need to pray before an upcoming football game? Feel like praying before you play a football game?
When we ourselves, or perhaps our children, engage in competitive sports, we can easily get drawn into the urge to pray to God so “we can win!” But, we will do better in our prayer journey if we resist praying to win, and instead pray for the safety of the players, fair competition, and good sportsmanship.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2.3-4, NIV).
The Apostle Paul’s encouragement to us is a reminder that we ought not to think of ourselves as better than anyone else, especially on the football field. What would it say about us if we gloat after a win, “God wanted us to win!”? You can easily see how that type of attitude doesn’t fit with the overall Biblical message.
These 10 simple prayers for a football game may be of help to you. The different scenarios offered in the following prayers allow you to choose which one best suits your situation. Of course, you can modify the wording of any of the prayers as needed.
Whether you are a regular prayer, or just beginning to learn to pray, you might also want to explore prayers for school activities, prayers for competition, or even prayers for different sports like basketball, baseball, or hockey. Remember, the goal of praying to God is growing closer to God!
So, as you pray for a football game, keep your focus on God, to whom you are praying. Let your mind and heart rest in the knowledge that God knows what is happening and hears you. We encourage you to share your prayer journey with us in the comments section below.
Lord, I hope I can play well tonight, so help me do my best. I also do not want to get hurt so keep me safe and tackle the proper way. I hope we can win, but I’m not asking for that–just that we play all the way to the end. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Dear God, as we gather as a community for tonight’s football game, we pause to acknowledge you as God. We pray for the safety of each player, coach, referee, cheerleader, and band member. We ask for every player on both teams to compete with their full effort and with sincere sportsmanship.
Regardless of which team wins and which team loses, we pray that everyone will know they did their very best in the spirit of good competition. We give you thanks for the wonderful weather we have tonight and for all the support of each family and business here tonight. On behalf of everyone gathered here, I make this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Dear God, we come together as a football team about to enter the field of competition. We have trained all week for this game and are prepared.
On behalf of us all, I pray for each person to do their job and play to the best of their ability. When the game is over I want every player to know that they didn’t hold back and left everything on the field. Win or lose, let us be strong in how we support each other in every play.
I pray we go out and play as a united team, a team with high character, and 100 percent effort. May we not give up, give in, or give out. I thank you for the opportunity we have to play this game, and for healthy bodies to do what we do. This is an honor and a privilege that we do not take lightly. May we play all out tonight. In the name of Jesus, I pray this prayer, Amen.
Dear Lord, I am proud of my son for practicing so hard and now he gets to play in the football game this week. I am concerned, of course, for his safety and don’t want him to get hurt.
I feel odd praying for him to be safe when he’s playing an inherently violent game, but I pray it regardless. I just want him to truly enjoy playing a sport he loves and be able to keep playing it. Help him to pay attention to what is happening around him on the field and be aware of where he is.
I pray for him to play well and show his coaches that he is ready and prepared for what is needed. I pray this prayer with hope in Christ, Amen.
Father God, I am getting the chance to play a starting position at tonight’s football game. I have been second string all season, but the guy ahead of me is injured and our coach told me, “It’s next man up!”
I am thrilled to have this opportunity and also terrified that I am going to flub everything, and embarrass myself and my team. I want to play my very best in every play I am in for tonight.
Lord, I’m not praying to ask you to make me play better than I am, but I am asking for focus and calm so I can play to the very best of my ability. I feel prepared and know the plays we’re running so I do feel like I’m confident in that regard. Help me to play well, in the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
God, I am so disappointed that we lost tonight’s football game. I really thought we would win it, but that didn’t happen. I don’t know what we could have done differently, but I am coming to you in prayer because I am just so bummed that we didn’t get the win.
I know I played my heart out and I know all my teammates did as well. I can sense the mood in the locker room and we are all just so empty and down. I know this is not the end of the world, but it sure doesn’t feel very good right now.
Help each of us to get through the disappointment tonight and tomorrow and help us get into a new mindset come Monday at practice. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Dear Lord God, I pray for our football coaches, who are also our teachers at school. I can tell they are each feeling a lot of pressure because we have lost our last three games in a row. I can’t believe what some of the parents are yelling at the coaches at the last game.
I pray that each of the coaches can be strong in their faith in you. I hope they have faith in you. I pray for their wives and families who have to hear those nasty things in the stands. Help the people in this community realize that these football games are just that–a game.
I get passionate about winning like anyone else on our team but I know that it’s just a sport–it’s not the end of everything. I pray for my coaches and their protection, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
God, I am elated as I sit in my car, about to go home. This has been a wonderful night, and not just because we won the game. I am so thrilled that it was how we won the game.
We were so far behind that many fans left in the third quarter. But these young men didn’t give up. They played all the way to the final whistle and they came out ahead. I am grateful that all that talk I’ve talked about not giving up actually sank into their brains.
Thank you for the opportunity I have to coach these guys. It’s times like this that make it all worthwhile. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God, I pray for the coaches on both teams to exert some control over their players. It looks like it’s about to get ugly out there on the field. There have been four unsportsmanlike penalties in the last five minutes and it feels like the players are about to blow up.
I pray everyone to take a pause and calm things down. I pray for the refs as well, as they can only do so much. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Father in heaven, I lift this prayer to you on behalf of our whole team. We are only halfway done. We may have a lead right now, but this game is not over.
Help each of us individually, and all of us together, to play with full effort for the second half. Let us not back down or give in. I pray that we play with a competitive spirit to the best of our ability. Let us honor the hard work we have put in by finishing this game well. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Final Thoughts
I like watching football, as it is my favorite sport, above all the others. As a fan, I have found myself getting caught up in the competition and wanting my favorite team to win. But, in the end, it is still simply a game, a competition.
It is in those times that I am reminded of a word of warning from the Apostle Paul about competition:
“Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown, except by competing according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2.5, NIV).
Whether player or coach, parent or fan, may we all keep this verse in mind as we play, coach, and cheer our football team of choice.