The 5 Best Fall Soccer Leagues for Leaf Peepers
As the leaves begin to change, stealing a glance at the city’s finest fall foliage during a time out might help restore balance in your universe - especially after being juked out of your cleats. So if getting closer to nature helps you remain calm when the game is on the line, here’s NYC Footy’s top leagues for leaf peeping this fall.
Our only fall 11v11 league means more teammates to take with you on fall foliage walks.
Prospect Park is an idyllic setting to experience autumn’s awesomeness. And since our Sunday league at Prospect Park Parade Grounds is from 12pm-3pm, that means you and 10 of your teammates can spend time before or after the game clearing your head on one of the park’s many fall foliage walks. Prospect Park Alliance offers a variety of events and programming designed around nature education for all ages.
Photo: Prospect Park Alliance
This fall, NYC Footy has three unique leagues at Central Park's North Meadow
Spending the middle of the week in Central Park for some 7v7 while leaves and defenders fall all around you is why you moved to NYC in the first place. You won’t find a more prestigious pitch like this anywhere else in the Footy field line up, and while you wait for your evening game to begin, take advantage of what the Central Park Conservancy recommends for naturalists by signing up for a walking tour.
3. League: Mondays I Gaelic Park (Kingsbridge) I 7v7 I P3 and P5
Playing at Gaelic Park means you'll have your pick amongst the city's finest foliage spots.
Why are we profiling this Kingsbridge soccer stadium as the perfect meeting point for leaf peeping players? Because it’s steps away from Van Cortlandt Park and its renowned hiking trails which will help you find your way into the forests of New York City! Gaelic Park is also a 20 minute bike ride from Wave Hill and the NY Botanical Garden, two additional Bronx based locations that are known for its epic scenery this time of year. If you’re serious about getting lost in the sauce that is tree spotting, the Bronx is where you have to be.
Photo: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
Green-Wood is worth the walk from Bush Terminal Park. Photo: Deborah A/Google
A true a leaf peeper will visit any location in order to capture the moment, which means Brooklyn’s famous Green-Wood Cemetery is a must visit. A poetic spot to reflect on leaf loss, Green-Wood Cemetery is about a 20 minute walk and 7 minute bike ride from our Wednesday evening league at Bush Terminal Park. The property features an arboretum with 843 unique tree species as well as a variety of events highlighting the living (and the dead) aspects of the property.
Sunday games at Mafera Park mean time to unwind in nearby Forest Park
The closest pitch to Forest Park, spending a Sunday at Mafera Park with NYC Footy means you’ll be able explore over 165 acres of trees while warming up on a hiking trail before the big match. The home of the most continuous oak forest in all of Queens means you won’t find a better place to take in the beautiful colors that descend every fall on “The World’s Boro.”
To learn more about NYC’s leaf peeping season, visit NYC Parks’ #FallforNYC Fall Foliage Tracker.
And if you’re an NYC Footy player that plans to leaf peep this fall, make sure to bring your Paloma jersey and tag @nycfootyofficial during all of your city travels.