footy nation opens its doors at 10: 00 AM ET on Saturday, 20 March 2026 at Ocean Plaza Leisure near the seafront in Southport, promising a weather-proof, high-tech football skills park for all ages. Owners Michelle and Matthew Ball created the concept to offer creative, fun and exciting indoor football, and the venue will run seven days a week. The site has been built from two former restaurant units and launches into the school Easter holidays with nearly 40 jobs created for local people.
Footy Nation — what’s inside
Footy Nation is a purpose-built indoor attraction combining structured skill-based challenges with interactive football games designed to test accuracy, control, reactions and technique. The park includes a series of named challenge games — Match Ball, Curve Ball, Score Ball, Kick Ball, Spin Ball and Pin Ball — each built to target different elements of play, from guiding the ball to hitting moving targets to a supersized football pinball finale.
Owners Michelle and Matthew Ball transformed two units at Ocean Plaza Leisure that were previously a Chinese buffet restaurant and a burger restaurant. The venue also houses a café bar, a boot room, merchandise stalls and additional mini-games to round out sessions that are built for family days out, groups and players of all abilities.
Immediate reactions
Steve Allen, operations manager at Footy Nation, said: “We’ve reimagined the world’s most popular sport and brought it indoors to create a next-level football skills park like no other. We’re so excited to bring this new soccer gaming zone to life in Southport. No more training on rainy pitches, this is a purpose-built centre designed to develop essential footy skills in a way that’s dynamic, competitive and, most importantly, fun. “
Owners Michelle and Matthew Ball said: “We are so excited to be opening Footy Nation! The site has been in build for the past nine months – this day has taken a long time coming! We have been planning this concept for the past three and a half years. My husband, Matthew, is a brilliant engineer and he has been designing a series of games that we know our visitors will love. “
Quick context and what’s next
The opening adds a weather-proof leisure offer to an already vibrant area that includes a bowling alley, a cinema, a children’s play centre, a gym and nearby restaurants. Footy Nation will cater for group bookings including birthday parties, team-building events and family outings and aims to attract both casual players and grassroots footballers.
Visitors should expect busy opening-period demand through the school Easter holidays; Footy Nation’s management will monitor bookings and session patterns and expand group and event slots as needed. Local officials, community groups and the owners are scheduled to review the site’s initial operation in coming weeks to track visitor numbers and the impact of the nearly 40 new local jobs created by the venture, and footy nation will announce any operational updates if changes are required.
Timestamp: 10: 00 AM ET on Saturday, 20 March 2026.
