Are BIG W Soccer Balls Any Good? A Coach's Honest Review (2026)
AFC and FFA licensed coach with 30+ years grassroots-to-NPL assesses every BIG W soccer ball on the shelves in 2026.
Most parents pulling a BIG W soccer ball off the shelf are budget-shopping for a kid’s first ball, a backyard kickaround replacement, or a cheap second ball for the school bag. Page one of Google for the keyword is wall-to-wall BIG W product pages and zero coaches actually telling you which BIG W soccer balls are decent and which fall apart in three weekends. I’ve spent 30 years coaching across Victorian grassroots, NPL programs and FFA-licensed pathways, and I’ve procured (and worn out) enough budget balls to know exactly where BIG W sits on the value curve. Here’s the honest verdict, ball by ball, with a clear answer on when you should spend a bit more and grab a real training ball off our best soccer balls in Australia guide instead.
Are BIG W Soccer Balls Any Good? My Coach’s Verdict in 30 Seconds
The BIG W Soccer Ball Range: What’s Actually on the Shelves (2026)
BIG W stocks roughly fifteen distinct soccer ball SKUs across three tiers. The bottom tier sits at the $5 to $15 mark and is built around the Reliance house brand plus Slazenger budget balls. The mid tier is the STRADIA range from about $25 to $38, which is BIG W’s serious training-ball line. The top tier is the licensed and novelty balls (Summit A-League team balls at $67.76, Yardgames novelty ball at $160) which are priced more for the brand association than the construction. I tested every tier against the ball-quality benchmarks I use when procuring for club programs: panel construction, weight tolerance, pressure retention, and how long the ball survives an actual training session on grass. The results below are honest, not promotional.
Reliance Soccer Balls ($5 to $15): Backyard-Only Picks
Reliance Soccer Ball Size 5 (BIG W)
Best for: Backyard kickabouts and kids who lose balls regularly
BIG W’s $5 entry-level moulded rubber soccer ball. I’ve bought half a dozen of these over the years for U8 Saturday group warm-ups. They survive about three weeks of moderate play on grass before the panels start splitting. At five bucks, that’s actually defensible. It’s the right buy if you have a kid who kicks balls over the fence weekly, or if you need a spare for the school bag.
Pros
- Cheapest size 5 soccer ball at any major Aussie retailer
- Stocked across most BIG W stores plus online with click-and-collect
- Honest budget option for backyard play, school bag spares, or replacement when a kid loses one
Cons
- Moulded rubber panels split inside a month of regular play
- Weight and bounce tolerance is not match-grade
- Not suitable for any organised training where ball control matters
$5
Check Price at BIG W →STRADIA Range ($25 to $38): BIG W’s Training Ball Tier Reviewed
STRADIA Focus Full Size 5 Soccer Ball (BIG W)
Best for: Light club training or second-tier ball in a coach's bag
The STRADIA Focus is the only BIG W soccer ball I would put anywhere near a serious training session. Decent panel construction, holds shape and pressure better than anything below it on the BIG W shelves, and the weight feels close to regulation. I would not use it as a primary match ball for a club program, but as a second-tier ball for warm-ups, technical drills, or a Saturday MiniRoos session where you need three or four balls and don’t want to risk the good ones, this is the BIG W pick.
Pros
- Best panel construction in BIG W's range, holds shape across multiple training sessions
- Weight and bounce close enough to regulation for unstructured technical drills
- Priced under $32, which is the same range as serious club training balls
Cons
- Still a budget-retailer training ball, not built for full club rotation
- Panel stitching loosens after 2 to 3 months of weekly use
- Same money on Amazon gets you a Mitre Impel which lasts twice as long
$31.99
Check Price at BIG W →STRADIA Glory Full Size 5 Soccer Ball (BIG W)
Best for: Coaches stocking a second-tier match ball without leaving BIG W
STRADIA Glory is BIG W’s top-of-range soccer ball. PVC panels, holds pressure across a week of training, and the construction is genuinely a step up from the Focus. The honest issue is value: at $35 you are inside Amazon’s Mitre Impel territory, and the Mitre carries real brand provenance and a longer durability record. If you’re in-store at BIG W and want the best ball they sell, Glory is the answer. If you’re shopping online and price-comparing, you’re better off jumping the fence to Amazon.
Pros
- Top-of-range BIG W ball with real PVC panel construction
- Holds shape and pressure through normal training-week use
- In-store availability across most BIG W locations
Cons
- At $35, you're inside Mitre Impel pricing on Amazon with no durability advantage
- Long-term seam wear shows after a single hard club training month
- No FIFA quality marking, so not eligible for any sanctioned match use
$34.99
Check Price at BIG W →Slazenger Soccer Ball Size 5 (BIG W)
Best for: Almost no one. Reader-rated 2 out of 5 for a reason.
Slazenger Soccer Ball Size 5 carries the worst customer rating on the BIG W soccer ball range, sitting at 2 out of 5 from eight reviewers. That matches what I see in the construction. It’s a thin-panel ball with poor pressure retention, and at $12 it competes with the Reliance for backyard duty without offering anything the Reliance doesn’t. The Slazenger brand on the panel does not translate into Slazenger build quality at this price point. Buy the Reliance for $5 and skip this entirely.
Pros
- Recognisable Slazenger brand on the panel
- Available in BIG W stores nationwide
Cons
- 2 out of 5 customer rating tells the construction story
- $12 buys you a worse ball than the $5 Reliance
- Thin-panel construction with weak pressure retention
$12
Check Price at BIG W →Specialty Balls (Silent, Hover, Inflatable): Worth It?
BIG W stocks three categories of specialty soccer ball: silent foam balls (a parent-friendly indoor option), hover balls (the disc-on-air toy that kids love for tile-floor mini-games), and inflatable vinyl novelty balls. None of these are soccer balls in any meaningful coaching sense. The silent foam ball is a perfectly valid indoor toy for younger kids and a reasonable purchase if your house has thin walls. The hover ball is a five-minute novelty that doesn’t develop any soccer-specific skill. The inflatable is a party favour. Buy any of them with the right expectation: they are toys with a soccer aesthetic, not training equipment. If you actually want a soccer ball for indoor play, look at our hover soccer balls for kids review for the better-built options, or step up to a proper futsal ball.
BIG W vs Kmart vs Rebel: Which Discount Retailer Wins for Soccer Balls
BIG W vs Kmart vs Rebel Sport (Soccer Balls 2026)
| Retailer | Best Budget Ball | Best Training Ball | Price Range | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG W | Reliance Size 5 at $5 | STRADIA Focus at $32 | $5 to $38 | Widest range at the lowest entry price |
| Kmart | Active Pro size 5 at $6 | Active Pro PVC at $18 | $4 to $25 | Cheaper but thinner range, see Kmart review |
| Rebel Sport | ASICS warm-up at $20 | Mitre Impel at $35 | $20 to $120 | Real training and match balls, no budget tier |
If you’re walking into a physical store with a $30 budget, BIG W wins. They carry the widest cheap-to-mid range under one roof, and the STRADIA tier holds its own against Kmart’s better picks. Rebel Sport doesn’t really compete in the budget bracket at all, they start where BIG W’s top tier ends. For the cheapest possible kid’s ball, Kmart’s $4 to $6 picks edge out BIG W slightly on raw price. For training-tier balls, jump to Rebel or Amazon.
When to Skip BIG W and Step Up: Coach-Picked Amazon Alternatives
Here’s the honest threshold: anything above the $25 STRADIA Focus on BIG W’s shelves is where you should pause and ask whether you’d be better off spending the same money on a real training ball from Amazon. The construction gap between a $35 STRADIA Glory and a $35 Mitre Impel is large enough that the Mitre will outlast the Glory by a factor of two or three in regular use. Below are the three Amazon alternatives I recommend in this exact price tier.
Mitre Impel Training Football
Best for: The realistic step up from BIG W's top tier
Mitre Impel is the entry-club training ball that has earned its place across Aussie grassroots and academy programs for years. At around $32 on Amazon, you’re paying STRADIA Glory money for a ball that lasts a full season of group warm-ups, not a single hard training month. Real Mitre brand provenance, real club-grade panel construction. This is the ball to buy if your last BIG W pick didn’t survive autumn.
Pros
- Mitre brand heritage with real club training credibility
- Lasts a full season of weekly group warm-ups
- Same price as BIG W's top tier with materially better construction
Cons
- Not match-grade FIFA Quality (use the Calcio for that)
- Stock can rotate on Amazon listings
$32
Check Price on Amazon →
Mitre Calcio Training Ball
Best for: Mid-tier club training with FIFA Basic specification
Mitre Calcio is the realistic next step up from the Impel. FIFA Basic specification, machine-stitched panel construction, and a noticeably better feel through the boot. At around $45 on Amazon, you’re inside the price range that Aussie clubs actually procure at for senior training sessions. If you coach a U16-up squad and want one ball that handles everything short of match day, this is it.
Pros
- FIFA Basic specification suitable for sanctioned training environments
- Machine-stitched panels hold shape across full club season
- Mid-tier price point matches what most Aussie clubs actually buy
Cons
- Overkill for backyard or MiniRoos contexts
- Premium over BIG W top tier without matching FIFA Quality grade
$45
Check Price on Amazon →
Adidas Tiro League Training Ball
Best for: Serious coaching programs that need a two-season ball
Adidas Tiro League is the thermally-bonded panel construction that you see across professional academy training environments. At around $55 on Amazon it’s the most expensive ball in this article, and the only one that lasts two-plus seasons in active club rotation. If you’re a Technical Director procuring six or eight balls for a full youth program, this is what you actually buy.
Pros
- Thermally-bonded panel construction lasts two-plus club seasons
- Adidas brand procurement standard across academy programs
- Best feel through the boot at this price point
Cons
- Highest price in this article, $55 is real money for a kid's ball
- Pure waste of money for backyard or kickabout contexts
$55
Check Price on Amazon →
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BIG W sell soccer balls?
Yes, BIG W stocks around fifteen distinct soccer ball SKUs across three price tiers from $5 to roughly $160. The range spans budget Reliance and Slazenger picks at the bottom, the STRADIA training-tier line in the middle, and licensed A-League team balls plus novelty balls at the top.
What size soccer ball should I buy from BIG W for my kid?
For kids aged 4 to 8 years buy a size 3, for 9 to 12 buy a size 4, and for 13 and up buy the regulation size 5. BIG W stocks all three sizes across the Reliance and STRADIA ranges, so size availability is rarely the issue. For full age-to-size mapping, see our soccer ball size chart guide.
Are BIG W soccer balls FIFA size and weight compliant?
The Reliance and Slazenger budget balls are sized to FIFA dimensions but do not carry FIFA Quality, FIFA Quality Pro or IMS marking. The STRADIA range is similarly unmarked. For any sanctioned competition use you need a FIFA Quality stamped ball, which means stepping up to Mitre, Adidas or Nike at $45 and above.
How long do BIG W soccer balls actually last in regular use?
The $5 to $15 Reliance and Slazenger balls last about 3 weeks of moderate kid play before the panels start splitting. The $25 to $38 STRADIA range lasts 2 to 3 months of regular training use before stitching loosens. A proper Amazon Mitre Impel at the same $32 price lasts a full season of weekly training, which is the practical reason to step up.
Can a 7-year-old use a size 4 soccer ball?
Most 7-year-olds are better suited to size 3, which is the regulation size for under-8 to under-10 in MiniRoos. Size 4 starts to fit comfortably around age 8 to 9. If your 7-year-old is unusually tall or has played soccer for a couple of years already, size 4 is fine.
Is the STRADIA range at BIG W good enough for club training?
STRADIA Focus is the only BIG W ball I would put in a club training rotation, and only as a second-tier ball for warm-ups or technical drills with younger groups. For primary training balls in any organised club program, step up to Mitre Impel or higher on Amazon. The construction and durability gap is large enough to justify the small price difference.
