Pickup football apps in Budapest compared

If you live in Budapest, or just landed here, and want a game of football this week, you have a few options: an app, a student network, a Meetup group or a Facebook group. They work in different ways. This guide compares the main ones fairly, including PitchUp, so you can pick what fits you.

What to look for in a pickup football app

Before comparing names, decide what matters to you. Most players care about the same five things.

• Games in Budapest: an app is only useful if people near you actually post games on it.
• Join alone: you should be able to book one spot without bringing a team.
• Clear price and spots: you want to see the cost, the format and how many places are left before you go.
• Cancellation rules: plans change, so check what happens to your money if you drop out.
• Language: many players here are expats or students, so English matters as much as Hungarian.

PitchUp

PitchUp is a pickup football app built for Budapest. Hosts post games at local pitches, and players book a spot on their own or with friends. Each game page shows the venue, time, format, surface, price and how many spots are left. The website is in English, Hungarian, German, French and Arabic.

• Where: BME Sporttelep (XI.), Városliget Mini Arena (VI.), Panoráma Sportközpont (II.), Budapest Garden FC (XIV.), Ludovika (VIII.), Városmajori focipálya (XII.) and the indoor BME Sportközpont hall.
• Formats: 5v5 and 6v6 most weeks, plus 11v11 at weekends.
• Price: most games cost 2,000 to 3,000 Ft a spot. You book in the app and pay the host in cash at the venue; card payments are coming soon.
• Cancelling: a full refund with 24 hours' notice or if the host cancels, 50% between 6 and 24 hours, and none with less than 6 hours' notice.
• Platforms: Android on Google Play. On iPhone you play in the browser for now.

After each game, players vote for an MVP and get a rating, which builds into a player card. If you want to run your own weekly game, you can apply to become a host.

PickPlay

PickPlay (pickplay.games) presents itself as a platform for football pickup games in Budapest. Check its site for current venues, prices and how you pay, as these details can change.

Footy Addicts

Footy Addicts describes itself as a social platform that helps you find casual football games near you. You create a free account, search games by location, date and time, and sign up. After a game you can rate the organiser and other players. Games are mostly 5-a-side or 7-a-side and usually last an hour.

It is best known in the UK, and its city guides focus on places like London, Birmingham and Manchester. When we checked in October 2026, we found no Budapest games listed, so it is worth a look if you travel, but it is not yet a Budapest option.

ESN Budapest football events

The Erasmus Student Network organises football as part of its student activities in Budapest, for example games at ELTE's sports facilities. These are a good way to meet other international students in your first weeks. They are one-off dated events for students rather than a weekly game anyone can join.

Meetup and Facebook groups

Meetup has soccer and pick-up soccer groups in many cities, and Budapest has expat and sports Facebook groups where people post games. These work when a group is active and the organiser is reliable. The catch is that spots, prices and cancellations are handled by chat, so it is easy to turn up to a game that is already full or called off.

Side by side

• PitchUp: Budapest pickup games, join alone, price and spots shown, cash to the host at the venue, written refund policy.
• PickPlay: football pickup games in Budapest; check its site for details.
• Footy Addicts: casual games mostly in the UK; no Budapest games found when we checked.
• ESN Budapest: one-off student events, good for Erasmus students.
• Meetup and Facebook: free to join, organised by chat, quality depends on the organiser.

Which one should you use?

If you want a regular game in Budapest that you can join alone, start with an app that shows real local games with a price and spots left. If you are an Erasmus student, add ESN's events for the social side. If you already know a group that plays every week, a chat group may be all you need.

Whatever you choose, bring turf shoes or short studs, arrive ten minutes early and tell the host if you can't make it. Most pitches here are artificial turf, and a quick message keeps the game fair for everyone.

Common questions

What's the best app to find 5-a-side football in Budapest?

Pick one that lists Budapest games with a price and the spots left, and lets you book alone. PitchUp does that for 5v5, 6v6 and 11v11 games across the city, most at 2,000 to 3,000 Ft a spot.

Is there a PitchUp app for iPhone?

Not yet. PitchUp is on Google Play for Android. On iPhone you can use the web app in your browser.

Are these apps free?

Signing up to PitchUp is free; you pay per game, pitch included. Check each other platform for its own prices.