A Hat-Trick of Tips: Hosting the Perfect Football Pizza Party

As we kick-off a new season of football, we decided to share our hat-trick of top goals when hosting the perfect footie pizza party. Celebrate victory (or soften the blow of defeat) with beautifully cooked pizza and an epic range of snacks long after the final whistle.

Goal 1 - Don’t forget your kit! 

Pizza parties take planning, and if you want to fire out some epic slices at halftime, you need to have a few fundamental essentials on hand to kick-off pizza-making season in style.

We love using the Ooni Prep and Proof Pack (consisting of two pizza dough boxes and a bamboo prep lid) for parties with three or more people, as it’s excellent for proofing, storing, and then rolling out your dough when it’s time to make pizza. Pair this up with the beloved Ooni Stack (or the larger Ooni Pizza Topping Station if you’ve got the room!), and you have somewhere to store your toppings before your guests arrive. An Ooni Digital Thermometer is a must for checking the temperature of your baking stone, and we also like to whip out the Dual-Sided Grizzler Plate, as it can help you produce crowd-pleasing favourites like perfectly-sizzled shrimp or gorgeous chargrilled veggies.

Suppose you’re going to be the designated host for the entirety of the football season. In that case, we’d strongly suggest upgrading to Ooni’s electric pizza oven Volt as it’s suitable for use inside or outdoors, and its Boost function will recharge your pizza stone between bakes. The gas-powered Koda 16 is another excellent choice for entertaining. A massive cooking area and a simple ignition will help you turn out loads of pizzas with minimal effort.

Goal 2 - Think tactics!

We’re not saying that you need to pack up and go to a training camp or even do a montage of exercise with a suitably inspiring musical background, but it pays to think tactics.

Pick which kind of dough you’ll use - frozen dough balls can be great if you’re hosting a crowd - and work out how many you’ll need. We always recommend adding a few extras in case of any red card situations from your guests - the worst that can happen is that you have some extras to make dessert pizzas in extra time. We also suggest that you stick with a selection of classic topping options, but don’t be afraid to through in a few curveballs too!

It takes between twenty and forty minutes for an Ooni oven to come up to cooking temperature (though your pizzas will usually cook in about 60 seconds once they’re in the oven), so factor that in when folks are heading over to yours. We usually get the oven set up ahead of time, switch it on about halfway through the first half and then you’ve got a perfect temp for some halftime pizzas!

Goal 3 - Celebrate in style!

Whether you’re cheering on a historic win or recovering from your team’s laklustre display on the pitch, life’s too short for bland food. 

As well as pizzas made with our classic dough recipe and topped with your guests’ favourite toppings, why not try the simple-but-delicious New York Grandma pizza or this wonderfully shareable Stuffed-Crust Margherita Pizza Star?

Your guests will love this Baked Herby Cheese Fondue dip, this foolproof Garlic Bread and - if you want a reputation as a top-flight host - this Hot Crab dip too! Throw in a Salted Caramel and Banana Pie or a giant Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, and you’ll end the season undefeated!