Will you be throwing a football (or Super Bowl) party this year? Then you MUST have goalposts as part of your decorations. I’m gonna show you how to make football goalposts for a party.
It’s SO easy ~ and cheap!
You’ve probably seen those football goalposts made from pvc pipe. They look pretty cool. I originally thought I would make a set for my Super Bowl party decorations.
That is until I priced out how much it would cost me. I figured it would total about $30 to make two tabletop football goalposts.
Whoa! That was more than my budget would allow. So, I came up with an alternative. Wooden dowel goalposts!
Not only were they A LOT cheaper to make (about $3 total), but they were also SUPER EASY and turned out perfect.
That’s a win-win-win!
Supplies for Easy DIY Football Goalposts
Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. I may get commissions (at no cost to you) for purchases made through these links. You can read my full disclosure for more details.

- 2 Wooden dowels
- Yellow paint
- Saw (miter box optional)
- E6000 glue
How to Make Football Goalposts for a Party
Step 1: Wooden dowels for your goalposts
When you go to your local hardware store you will notice that wooden dowels come in quite a few different diameters. I didn’t want mine to be too thick, so I went with ⅜” round ones. Feel free to get thicker ones, if you prefer.
There were also two different options of wood for the dowels. I chose pine as it was cheaper, and because this isn’t a project that needs a really nice wood.
Step 2: Cutting your wooden dowel football goalposts
*Note: you will see that I use a miter box to get my angled cuts, but you can easily create these diy football party goalposts with straight cuts.
First, measure 8” from one end and mark the dowel. Using your saw, cut the dowel at the mark. This will be the standing post.

Second, measure and mark 8” from the new end. Place your dowel against the inside of the miter box with the 8” mark at the furthest 45-degree slot and cut. This will be one of the two uprights.

Third, measure and mark 8” from the angled tip of the dowel. Slide the dowel into the miter box with the 8” mark at the first 45-degree slot. *This is VERY important: make sure that the angled cut you already have is perfectly lined up with the new cut you are about to make. You want to see the “/”. If it isn’t visible, your two uprights will be going in different directions. This second angled cut is going in the opposite direction as the first one.
Now cut. This will be the center piece that connects the two uprights.
Fourth; measure and mark 8” from the angled tip of your dowel. Make a straight cut at this mark. This will be the second upright for your party football goal post diy.

If you have any rough edges from sawing the dowels, sand them down with a little medium-grit sandpaper.

Step 3: Assembling your diy football party goalpost
To attach your wooden dowels, I suggest using E6000 glue. This stuff is awesome! It can adhere to almost anything.
Place a piece of paper under your goalpost pieces and line them up.

Put a dab of glue on one of the corner sections and connect the two dowel pieces. Now do the same for the other side.
With the pieces flat on the paper, make sure they are lined up straight. Then make sure that they aren’t sticking to the paper.
Next, glue the bottom piece to the middle of the crossbar and check that it isn’t sticking to the paper.

Leave and let dry for a few hours.
Step 4: Paint your assembled party football goalpost
Using yellow paint, paint the entire goalpost. You will probably need to do this in two stints – one side at a time.

Step 5: Putting your diy football party goalpost to use
Your football goalpost party decoration is now ready to put on your table. Yay!

But how?
There are a few ways you can stand up your tabletop football goalposts.
One option is what I did. I cut out a round patch of fake turf, put the dowel through the center, and then placed my diy football goalpost in floral foam, inside small silver cups.

Another way you can stand them up is to drill a hole the diameter of your dowel in a block of wood and glue it in place.
And a third way is to fill a bucket with sand and place your football goalpost decoration inside the sand.
It’s up to you regarding how you would prefer to display your diy football goalposts at your party.

