Start a Football Blog in Nigeria: Step-by-Step Guide to Your First ₦100,000
- Simon Zaku
- Apr 17
- 7 min read
Did you know that over 70% of Nigerian youth follow football religiously, but only a few are making money from that passion?
Crazy, right?
Back in 2015 when I was freelancing and blogging from my tiny room in Zaria, I remember wondering how people make money just talking about football online. It felt like magic. But guess what?
It's not magic — it's blogging. With the right tools, mindset, and some SEO sauce, anyone (yes, even you) can turn their football passion into profits.
When I started IbiFoundry, one of the top questions I kept getting was: “Simon, how do I start a blog like yours but for football?” And honestly, that question used to make me smile because I was once in that same position — full of ideas, but no roadmap.
Today, I'm laying out the exact steps I would've followed if I were to start a football blog in Nigeria in 2025. This isn't theory.
It's from trenches experience — hosting, writing, monetizing, getting rejected by AdSense, testing affiliate links, and eventually earning my first ₦100k.
So whether you're a die-hard United fan or an obsessed Chelsea critic, this guide is for you.
Let's build something that pays you while you scream at VAR.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT BLOGGING & EARNING WITH FOOTBALL CONTENT
The exact steps to launch your own football blog in Nigeria this month
The best domain name tricks that no one tells you (plus where to buy cheap)
The most reliable and affordable hosting services to start with
A complete walkthrough on setting up your blog using WordPress in Nigeria
Tips to create football content that actually ranks on Google (even if you hate SEO)
How to grow your audience using social media, status marketing, and football banter
All the different ways to monetize your football blog (and what’s working for me in 2025)
The secret tools I use (including Canva, Grammarly, Google Trends, etc.)
Common beginner mistakes that keep 90% of bloggers broke in Nigeria
A real breakdown of how to earn your first ₦100k blogging about football in Nigeria
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why Start a Football Blog in Nigeria?
Choosing a Niche in the Football World
Picking Your Blog Name & Buying a Domain
Getting the Right Hosting Plan for Cheap
How to Set Up Your Football Blog with WordPress
Designing Your Blog (Free & Paid Tools to Use)
What Type of Football Content Should You Post?
How to Promote Your Football Blog in Nigeria
Monetization: How to Make Your First ₦100,000
Common Mistakes to Avoid as a Beginner
Recommended Tools and Platforms
Final Thoughts (Plus Next Steps)
WHY START A FOOTBALL BLOG IN NIGERIA?
Let’s be honest: football is the biggest unifying religion in Nigeria.
From Danfo buses in Lagos to pepper soup joints in Jos, everybody has an opinion on the last Chelsea match or who’s better between Ronaldo and Messi.
But only a few people are turning that passion into profits.
Blogging gives you the platform to own your football voice — and get paid for it.
You’re no longer just shouting at your TV; you’re building an audience, sharing insights, growing influence, and earning from ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts.
In my early blogging days, I had a classmate who wrote weekly Arsenal match reviews on Facebook. One day, I helped him set up a blog. 6 months later, his AdSense was making more than my freelance gigs.
That’s when I knew this thing works.
The demand for football content is wild in Nigeria, but the supply of organized, Google-ranking blogs is still low.
This is your chance to join early.
Are you with me?
Read on.
CHOOSING A NICHE IN THE FOOTBALL WORLD
Before you jump in, you need to choose your focus.
Football blogging is broad. If you try to cover everything, you’ll burn out.
Instead, pick a niche like:
Premier League only (or a specific club)
Transfer news & rumours
Fantasy Premier League (FPL) tips
Football memes & social media commentary
Tactical analysis
Nigerian football (NPFL)
Betting tips & match previews
Choose something you genuinely enjoy.
I always advise new bloggers: if you can’t talk about your blog topic for 30 minutes straight without prep, don’t pick it.
Find your lane, own it, and you’ll build trust faster.
PICKING YOUR BLOG NAME & BUYING A DOMAIN
Now let’s name this baby.
Your blog name should be easy to remember, type, and relate to football.
Examples: NaijaSoccerZone, RedDevilTori, TheOffsideGist, VARBanter, GoalPost360.
Pro tip: Pick .com.ng or .com if it’s available.
Once you find one you like, buy it immediately — domains sell fast.
Want to start now? Click here to register your domain for as low as ₦1,500 with my partner link on Whogohost.
GETTING THE RIGHT HOSTING PLAN FOR CHEAP
This part used to confuse me back then.
But hosting is simply where your blog files will live.
Think of it like your plot of land online.
If you’re just starting, you don’t need a big or expensive plan.
I recommend these hosting platforms:
Whogohost: Nigerian based, beginner-friendly, cheap and fast. Click here to get started.
Hostinger: Global hosting platform with solid speed and uptime. Try Hostinger now.
Bluehost: Recommended by WordPress itself. Use this link to get a free domain.
Choose a shared hosting plan.
Don’t worry, you can always upgrade later.
Once you buy your hosting, you can install WordPress in one click.
We'll get to that next.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR FOOTBALL BLOG WITH WORDPRESS
Most blogs today are built on WordPress.
Why? Because it’s FREE and very flexible.
Once you’ve bought your hosting, go to your hosting dashboard and look for 1-click WordPress install.
Follow the simple steps, and boom — your football blog is live.
Then log into your WordPress dashboard via yourdomain.com/wp-admin
You’ll see where to install a theme (design), plugins, and start writing posts.
Need help with installation? My team can help for free. Just shoot me an email.
DESIGNING YOUR BLOG (FREE & PAID TOOLS TO USE)
Your blog should look sharp.
Not just for beauty, but because readers stay longer when your blog is neat.
Start with free themes like Astra, Kadence, or GeneratePress.
Then use Canva to design your blog logo, post banners, and social content.
You don’t need to be a designer.
Canva does all the heavy lifting.
Plugins you must install:
RankMath or Yoast (for SEO)
WP Super Cache (for speed)
Akismet (anti-spam)
Jetpack (security and stats)
Now let’s create content that converts.
WHAT TYPE OF FOOTBALL CONTENT SHOULD YOU POST?
This is the heart of your blog — your content.
You can’t afford to just copy what others are doing. Add your unique voice and angle.
Here are some hot content formats you can use:
Match previews and reviews
Opinion pieces (e.g. “Why Arsenal Will Win the League”)
FPL tips and transfer suggestions
Viral football memes and reactions
Player profiles and deep dives
Tactical breakdowns and match analysis
Transfer rumours and updates
Betting previews (be cautious and follow guidelines)
Mix it up but stay consistent. If you post once a week, let it be every week.
Consistency builds audience trust.
Also, don’t ignore SEO. Use keywords like “latest Chelsea news”, “Premier League table”, or “Naija football scores” in your headlines and meta descriptions.
Use tools like Google Trends and AnswerThePublic to find what Nigerians are searching for.
HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR FOOTBALL BLOG IN NIGERIA
This part is where many new bloggers fall off.
Writing is not enough. You need to promote like mad.
Here’s how:
WhatsApp Status: Post your new blog link and banter headlines daily.
Facebook Groups: Join football groups and share your posts (without spamming).
Twitter/X: Jump on trends, hashtags, and post match commentary with your blog links.
Telegram Channels: Collaborate with admins or start your own football update channel.
Quora/Reddit: Answer football-related questions and drop links when relevant.
SEO: Make sure each post is optimized to appear on Google.
Also, build an email list using Mailchimp or Mailerlite from day one.
Your email list is where the loyal fans live.
MONETIZATION: HOW TO MAKE YOUR FIRST ₦100,000
Let’s talk money.
Here are the top ways I make money from football content:
AdSense: Place ads on your blog. You need traffic, but it adds up.
Affiliate Marketing: Promote football jerseys, betting apps, streaming platforms, and earn commission.
Sponsored Posts: Brands can pay to publish content on your blog.
Direct Ad Deals: Sell banner spaces to betting companies or football stores.
eBooks and Paid Newsletters: Teach FPL, betting, or match analysis.
YouTube Integration: Repurpose content into videos for more reach.
The goal is to combine 2–3 income streams to hit your first ₦100k.
Need help setting up AdSense or affiliates? Send me a DM on Twitter @ibifoundry.
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID AS A BEGINNER
Trying to blog about everything in football
Ignoring SEO and never ranking on Google
Giving up after 3 months of slow traffic
Not building an email list
Posting only when you feel like
Not using Canva or Grammarly to improve content quality
Remember, this is a marathon. Give it 6 months minimum.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS AND PLATFORMS
Here are my go-to tools that save time and make money:
Hosting: Whogohost, Hostinger, Bluehost
Design: Canva Pro
SEO: RankMath, Google Trends
Content Writing: Grammarly, Hemingway
Email Marketing: Mailchimp, Mailerlite
Analytics: Google Analytics, Jetpack
Click here to access my full football blogging toolkit.
FINAL THOUGHTS (PLUS NEXT STEPS)
Football blogging in Nigeria is still wide open.
The market is hungry for consistent, banter-filled, and insightful content.
You already love football — now it’s time to monetize it.
If you take action based on this guide, you can earn your first ₦100,000 in 6 months or less.
Start now:
Pick your niche.
Buy a domain & hosting.
Set up your blog with WordPress.
Start posting weekly content.
Promote like crazy.
Monetize smartly.
Want a done-for-you blog setup? Reach out to me and let’s talk.
Let’s go build your football empire.
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