Over the years, r/football has continued to grow. As we've evolved, we've spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of community we want to be and what makes r/football unique. Starting today, r/football will become a self-post-only community. What does that mean? Instead of posting links, images, screenshots, tweets, and articles directly, users will create discussion posts and share context, opinions, questions, analysis, stories, and conversation starters. Links and sources are still welcome and encouraged when relevant. The difference is that posts should start a discussion rather than simply share content. This change is being made for a simple reason: we want r/football to develop its own identity as a discussion-first community. There are already many places on Reddit and across the internet to consume football news. We want r/football to be a place to discuss football. A place where fans can share perspectives, ask questions, debate tactics, tell stories, celebrate achievements, discuss football culture, and talk about the game itself. Our goal is not to become the biggest football community on Reddit. Our goal is to become the best place to discuss football. A discussion-First Football Community Many football communities have become focused on news aggregation, screenshots, rumours, social media reactions, and engagement-driven content. We're taking a different approach. We want r/football to be a discussion-first football community. We want to build a football community that feels like football culture. We hope to see more: Fan stories Matchday experiences Away-day culture Lower-league football Grassroots football Tactical discussions Historic football discussions International football perspectives Thoughtful questions and analysis Most importantly, we want to give people a reason to discuss football here instead of somewhere else. How News Posts Will Work Football news is still welcome. However, news should be presented in a way that encourages discussion. For example: Title: Fabrizio Romano: Player X joins Club Y Body: Link to source One or two sentences explaining why this matters, what the transfer means, or providing additional context that can help start a discussion. For transfer news and rumours, we ask users to use reliable sources whenever possible. Tier 1 and Tier 2 sources will always be preferred over speculation, aggregator accounts, and unsourced claims. Discussion Posts Discussion posts should contain enough effort to start a meaningful conversation. Posts should provide context, an opinion, a question, an argument, analysis, or a discussion prompt. For example: Good: "What tactical changes helped Club X improve defensively this season?" Good: "After attending my first away match, I noticed..." Less Helpful: "Thoughts?" The goal is to create discussions that people can participate in, rather than one-line prompts that don't add much value. A Few Expectations Going Forward If a topic is already being actively discussed, join the existing conversation rather than creating a new post. Duplicate discussions fragment the community and make it harder for everyone to follow the conversation. For transfer news and rumours, please use reliable sources. Tier 1 and Tier 2 sources will always be preferred over speculation and unsourced claims. Low-effort posts that do not provide context, discussion points, or a clear topic for conversation may be removed. Looking Ahead We know this is a significant change, and there may be an adjustment period. We'll continue listening to feedback, reviewing how things are working, and making adjustments where needed. Ultimately, our goal is simple: Fewer reposts. Fewer screenshots. Fewer rumours without sources. More football discussion. Thank you to everyone who helps make this community what it is. We're excited to see the conversations this next chapter brings. The r/football Moderation Team   submitted by   /u/pumkinhat [link]   [comments]