Football Costs Pricing Out Young Brussels Players

Rising club membership fees in Brussels are making football increasingly unaffordable for young players, raising concerns about accessibility and the future of grassroots football in the Belgian capital. According to RTBF, annual costs at some clubs reach up to 850 euros, forcing families to make difficult financial choices.

The Cost of Playing

At FC Kosova Schaerbeek, parents pay 500 euros per season for their children to train three times a week on the club’s single synthetic pitch, which hosts 350 young players. The fee increased by 50 euros this year. Club secretary Afrim Kas explains the pressure behind the price hike: “Everything is going up! The equipment pack, the rental of the pitch and the clubhouse, the federation contributions and insurance, not to mention the reduction in subsidies and the compensation for coaches.”

Despite the rising costs, some parents at FC Kosova accept the fees as a necessary expense. “500 euros for the year, you obviously have to find the money, but for three sessions a week, it’s reasonable,” says Daniel, a parent at the club. Another mother adds, “Anyway, elsewhere it’s even more expensive, and my children love football, so there’s no choice.”

Just a few hundred meters away, Crossing de Schaerbeek charges even more: 850 euros for boys and 500 euros for girls, covering four sessions per week for boys and three for girls over nine months. Thierry Forton, president of the youth school, defends the pricing: “We offer boys four sessions per week and girls three, nine months a year. That works out to less than 5 euros per session. That doesn’t seem excessive compared to other sports.”

Demand Outstrips Supply

Despite the high fees, both clubs report that demand exceeds their capacity. “In Brussels, it’s impossible, and despite the prices, registration requests exceed our capacity to accommodate,” says Kas. Forton echoes the sentiment: “And yet, every year we have to refuse registrations.” He attributes some of the demand to the recent World Cup, noting that “children have dreamed in front of the stars of the round ball.”

A Broader Affordability Crisis

Football’s rising costs in Brussels are part of a wider trend affecting all extracurricular activities. According to a 2025 study by the Ligue des Familles, families spend an average of 1,295 euros per year on extracurricular activities for their children. The study, which surveyed 823 families with more than 1,500 children, found that 65% of parents report difficulties paying these costs, rising to 82-85% for low-income families.

Brussels families pay an average of 1,457 euros per year - the second highest regional figure after Brabant Wallon. Madeleine Guyot, director general of the Ligue des Familles, warns that “extracurricular activities are gradually becoming a luxury.” She notes that two out of three parents report difficulties paying these fees, and for low-income families the figure rises to 82%. RTBF reported that these activities have become a “logistical and budgetary headache” for many parents.

Football ranks as the third most practiced sport among Belgian children at 16%, behind swimming (35%) and dance (19%). The national average cost of football is 361 euros per year, ranking 7th of the 11 most practiced sports - but Brussels clubs charge significantly more, with fees ranging from 500 to 850 euros. An investigation by L’Avenir found that equestrian (846 euros), tennis (575 euros), and hockey (488 euros) are the most expensive sports for families.

Limited Support Mechanisms

Support for families is limited. While 77% of families receive partial reimbursement from their health insurance (mutuelle), only 9% receive communal sports vouchers. The back-to-school premium ranges from just 25 to 101 euros depending on the child’s age, offering little relief against the substantial costs of club memberships and equipment. La Libre reported that extracurricular costs for a family of three children are estimated at 1,500 euros.

Simon, a father of three, describes the financial pressure: “We’ve set ourselves a cap of two activities per week per child. My third daughter is still too young for that, and we’re already around 2,000 euros.” He also highlights the difficulty of finding places: “There clearly aren’t enough spots. In some places, if you don’t already have a foot in the door, it’s almost impossible to register.”

What’s at Stake

The affordability question has significant implications for social equality and the future of grassroots football in Brussels. As costs rise, children from lower-income families risk being excluded from structured activities that offer social, educational, and developmental benefits. For a city where football has deep roots in working-class neighborhoods, the trend raises concerns about who will have access to the beautiful game in the years ahead.

With clubs caught between rising operational costs and the need to remain accessible, and with demand continuing to outstrip capacity, the challenge of keeping youth football affordable in Brussels shows no signs of easing. The question now is whether policymakers and sporting bodies will step in to ensure that the sport remains within reach for all young residents.