ISSUE 14: Call for Submissions

After a wonderful response to the release of ISSUE 13 last month (there’s only a few copies left—get yours here), my attention now turns to producing a new magazine this summer. Thanks again to those who contributed to ISSUE 13. It was one of the most powerful issues of FUTBOLISTA to date, with important writing on football in Palestine, Sweden, India and beyond.

As with most previous editions of the magazine, ISSUE 14 will have no set theme. I am now inviting submissions for ISSUE 14 and have put together a brief guide to pitching below.

What is FUTBOLISTA Magazine all about?

FUTBOLISTA Magazine covers The Global Game. My intention is to publish a vibrant, informative magazine which uses football as a starting point to also discuss themes like culture, travel, history and more.

The seventh edition was described by The i Newspaper as ‘one of the best’ recent sports publications in the United Kingdom. That issue included my long-read feature on the history of football in Hong Kong and its developing fan culture, as well as articles like ‘Partick Thistle: The Dozing Giant of Scottish Football Hipsterdom’ and ‘An Adenture of Ambition and Agony for Iraq in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup’.

The cover feature for ISSUE 13, published last month, was an interview with the Palestinian national team’s top scorer, Oday Dabbagh. The striker spoke passionately about his childhood, the Israel-Palestine conflict and his path to professional football in Europe. Other great features included Theo Gardner’s piece on the Swedish football club founded by Assyrian immigrants and Aashima Rawal’s essay on the rise of women’s football in South Asia.

The only consistent theme is that I’m interested in the underreported football stories from around the world. Whether it’s the Scottish lower leagues or South America, I’d love to hear about it. I include some historical or nostalgia pieces in each issue, but I also like to publish recent developments in world football and bring attention to issues that are unlikely to be picked up by major media outlets.

These guidelines are for the magazine’s ‘Features’ section, which takes up most pages in every issue. Usually, five or six features are published per issue. It’s always a massive help if you can supply your own photos with your story (even if taken on a smartphone), but this isn’t mandatory.

Please note that articles must not be time-sensitive. The previous editions of FUTBOLISTA are intended to be as enjoyable today as they were when published years ago.

What length should feature articles be?

1200-2000 words is the usual range for articles in the ‘Features’ section. You’re welcome to write more, but please note that the payment rate is the same for all articles published in the magazine and does not increase based on word counts.

Are there any regular features?

Yes—a few. But I’m mostly looking for pitches based on the guidelines above.

Travel Guide. Been to a football match somewhere cool? Write about the matchday experience, the city, the food and so on. You can check out an example here. Just don’t write about Almaty, Zaragoza or Milan, please. Those are the cities we’ve done so far. 1000-2000 words.

Ideas. Got a big idea on how football could be improved? This is the space for you. 800-1200 words.

Opinion. Unleash your unpopular (or popular) opinions on the game. In the most recent issue, contributor Steve Hoyles wrote about our unnecessary obsession with transfer windows. 800-1200 words.

Studies. Produce your own study of something football-related. If possible, include some of your own research (via a survey or data collection, for example). 1000-2000 words.

Analysis. Analyse some of the big questions in football, or maybe why a manager’s new tactical style has worked really well. In ISSUE 13, Callum Turner wrote the story ‘Mad, Bad and Dangerous: Why Don’t More Goalkeepers Become Managers?’. 1000-2000 words.

Reviews. Review a really good (or bad) football book, film or show. 500-1000 words.

When is the deadline for ISSUE 14?

I almost always miss my deadlines for producing new issues of the magazine, so this is very flexible. At the moment I’m working with a provisional deadline of 31 May for ISSUE 14 submissions.

How much does FUTBOLISTA pay?

£20.00. I know, it’s not much at all. The reason is that I’m a final-year student and run this magazine in my spare time. FUTBOLISTA is a personal project and, as with any print publication in 2025, isn’t much of a money-making enterprise.

If that amount puts you off, I completely understand. All contributors do receive a PDF copy of the magazine, but not a print copy. Payment is made after you have submitted your article.

Who contributes to FUTBOLISTA Magazine?

I am really proud to have featured work from writers of all backgrounds, from all over the world since starting the magazine in 2019. Some are writing as a hobby, others are freelance or work in sports journalism. I’m a student myself, so pitches from young writers are welcome.

Ideally, you’ll have some writing experience, even if it’s your own blog. Sum up your experience in a sentence or two when you pitch your idea.

Who to contact?

Please email me, Archie Willis (Editor and Publisher of FUTBOLISTA Magazine), at editor@futbolistamag.com. I’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible, but feel free to follow up on your pitch if I don’t.

If you need more inspiration for article ideas, order a back issue or contact me.

Thanks for pitching to FUTBOLISTA Magazine.