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GoPro Soccer: 14 Tips to Record Soccer Game (Settings, Mounts, Gear)

Ready to record a soccer game with a GoPro? Whether you’re a player or spectator, GoPro soccer recording is easy. Here are the shot list, tips, settings, and details you need.

Here you will learn how to choose the best GoPro for soccer, tips on how to get high-quality, exciting footage, and the right equipment to complement your GoPro. 

gopro soccer

Why soccer and not football? Because I’m Canadian and our audience is primarily in the United States, Australia, and Canada, we use the term soccer. But if you live almost anywhere else, you probably call this sport football, But when I say soccer, I mean football (and also fútbol, futebol, futbol, fotball, fodbold, fotbal, and foutbòl). Here’s more on the origins of these terms.

With this clarified, let’s get on to the tips for shooting a soccer game with a GoPro.

gopro soccer

How to Record Soccer Game with GoPro

By shooting your next match with a GoPro, you can capture your favorite moments of practice or a game to go back and watch them in high definition.

You can also share your games with your friends and families and give them a front-row seat without them being there. 

Here are the tips and shot list you need to get started.

1. The Best GoPro for Soccer

What’s the best GoPro for recording soccer footage?

The best GoPro for soccer is the latest Hero11 Black. This is because of its incredible Hypersmooth 5.0. This gives buttery smooth footage even while running, kicking, and diving. Plus, you can capture up to 5.3K video and control the camera with voice controls.

Get your GoPro Hero11 Black on Amazon, B&H Photo, or Best Buy.

best gopro for soccer

With a 5.3k video resolution at 60 frames per second, the HERO11 is perfect for recording sports.

The frame rate makes the footage look perfectly smooth for every moment. The high frame rate also makes slow-motion look natural instead of looking like a series of single images.

You can easily get incredible still photos from your footage. This allows you to get a great picture at the right moment to combine a series of single pictures to create an awesome sequence. You can then share your 27-megapixel photos with friends.

The HyperSmooth 5.0 video stabilization keeps the video from looking shaky. This is perfect for first-person recording, as you can record yourself playing and share your point of view when you score a goal or make a great play. 

This model is ideal for filming outdoor sports. It quickly responds to light changes so the footage won’t get too dark, even in low-lighting settings. 

Rainy day during the game? No problem. The lens is designed to repel water, keeping the camera view unobstructed. No drops staying on the hydrophobic lens means no unwanted blurriness or light flares degrading your video.

It is even waterproof up to 33 feet underwater. So even if it falls into a puddle, you can pick it up and continue filming without any issue. Just wipe off the mud and get back to recording. 

Use the Hero11 Black with a wide variety of mounts and other accessories. This versatile camera is perfect for the outdoor intensity of soccer. 

gopro for soccer games

2. Leave the GoPro Running

The GoPro HERO11 captures high-quality footage at 60 frames per second, allowing much flexibility in capturing images and not missing anything important.

Even if you record the perfect moment, keep your GoPro recording so that you don’t miss anything else, like an unexpected goal or play. You can always go back and edit the footage after.

You’ll probably need an extra battery to capture the whole game. Here’s more about GoPro batteries and how to extend their life.

record soccer game with gopro

3. Utilize the Slow Motion Features of the HERO10

With up to eight times Slo-Mo on the GoPro, you can capture every moment of the most crucial seconds of the match. The high frame rate gives the slow-mo a smooth look instead of a laggy, unnatural feel. 

Use this feature to watch replays in detail, just like you see on TV. Or use it to slow down the perfect section of a shot on goal, from the time your foot touches the ball to it going into the net. 

Here’s how to watch your GoPro footage on a TV.

4. Use HyperSmooth 5.0

HyperSmooth will make even the shakiest footage appear steady and stable. 

Let’s say you are recording first-person footage of you running with the ball, then quickly looking up to make a pass. Normal cameras would produce footage that would look extremely shaky and blurry afterward.

The Hypersmooth 5.0 video stabilization will make your footage clear and stable, turning what would be a jarring video into one that looks professional.

5. Make a Shots List: 8 Suggestions

You might consider the following GoPro soccer shots:

  • Arriving, tying shoes, walking onto the field
  • Mount the camera to the goalpost
  • Place the camera on the ground, below the net (like in the photo below)
  • Shooting forward: show what you see
  • The small details: shoes, ball, net, etc.
  • Overview of the pitch, from the stands or with a long selfie stick.
  • Tape the GoPro to the ball (like in the following video)
  • Head or chest mount
  • Fence mount

Here are some great angles and shots to consider.

Of course, not all of these shots will be possible (or even allowed) in a competition. But during practice or before the event, these would work great.

6. Optimize Your Settings Correctly

Use your GoPro’s wide lens setting with 5.3K quality and 60 frames per second. Set the aspect ratio to one that appropriately captures your footage.

For most settings, 5.3K will be more than needed. You’ll do well with 4K video – and choose from 60 or 120 fps.

For soccer, 16:9 aspect ratio should work well. Also, turn off any unnecessary settings for outdoor filming in the daytime.

7. Focus on the Big Picture

Make sure to capture not just what you’re doing but what is going on around you. 

When you are filming soccer, a lot is happening on the pitch. Work on paying attention to where the ball is and the players involved.

After all, who wants to watch a full video of just one person when so much is going on?

8. Determine Your Objective

Are you filming to make a personal highlight reel? Or to capture your friends as they play? Perhaps you want to film to improve your performance as an individual or as a team?

By asking yourself what you want to capture, you will ensure you know what to look out for. Remember, when you wear a GoPro, you have two points of view. Utilize the camera’s point of view so that your footage accomplishes your goals.

9. Keep the Lens Clear

While the GoPro has a hydrophobic lens that repels water from obscuring its camera, your GoPro can still get dirty. Dirt can potentially stick to the lens, blocking or obscuring your footage.

By periodically ensuring your lens is clear of dirt and debris, you ensure that your recording comes out unobstructed. Imagine if you thought you caught the perfect moment on camera, only to find out your camera had a smudge rendering your footage unusable. 

gopro football

Lost GoPro? Here are 7 ways to find your GoPro

10. Keep a Full Charge  / Bring Extra Batteries

Before going to a soccer game or practice, ensure your GoPro battery is fully charged. You don’t want to be in the middle of capturing great footage only to have the battery die. 

If your car has a USB slot, you can use USB charging to charge your GoPro battery on the way to the game. 

Here’s more about charging GoPro batteries.

Bring Extra Batteries: If you expect to film until your GoPro battery dies, have extras ready on the side. Spare batteries will allow you to quickly resume filming so you don’t miss the end of a game. 

11. Shoot Away From the Sun

If you are filming when the sun has recently risen or is setting, you may accidentally throw off the lighting of your footage.

This is why facing the right direction at the right angle is important. Focus your recording on the game and the foreground, not the surroundings. 

Here’s more about GoPro Spot Meter and Exposure Control

12. Edit Photos From Your Footage

Once you have your footage, your next step is to review it to hone in on specific moments that are photograph-worthy.

This could be the moment you kick a ball, score a goal, or right when a goalie blocks a shot. Use your GoPro to isolate a high-quality image from your recording.

13. Use a Mount

A head mount or chest mount is ideal for capturing first-person footage. As you turn, so does the point of view of your GoPro. These can be obtained from GoPro’s website or online retailers and are essential to capture great GoPro footage.

Remember, if you are a soccer player that frequently uses your head or chest to control the ball, this may make that more difficult. However, the durability of GoPros should easily withstand the ball’s impact and give you excellent footage. 

Here’s what a head mount POV looks like with a soccer ball. This video was shot inside the office at GoPro.

Last but not least, keep your GoPro protected with a case.

As durable as GoPros are, if you carry it off the field and drop it on cement, you could scratch the lens. Here are the best GoPro cases to protect your camera from damage. 

gopro soccer mount

More reading: How to Shoot Tennis Matches with a GoPro and GoPro Baseball Guide: 14 Tips

Final Thoughts

So, now you have everything you need to GoPro your soccer game. Do you have a favorite tip or accessory? Or do you have your own suggestions for recording a soccer game with GoPro?

We’d love to hear from you in the comments section. All the best with your next game!