Either change the sport or move it to the Beginning of football season, when folks are trying out and practicing

I presume this involves AMERICAN Football (a sport primarily played in the autumn and winter) as opposed to what the rest of the English-speaking world refers to as football, but we Americans insist on calling soccer, which is primarily a summer sport, and therefore at the school level is generally played toward the end of the spring term. In that case, your best bet is to follow the advice of the first answerer — place the football game in context through flashbacks, but set the story primarily at the end of the school year. If the game and the end of the year MUST occur at the same time, and the game MUST be American football, then you’ve painted yourself into a corner. Throw out the story and start over from square 1.

The primary football season (school) ends at the end of school, now no-one wants to miss the last day of school, or a best friend’s party, so there’s ur dilema.

Football match or bfs party.

The story then runs off that, and then after the event, carry on, show the consequences, and resolve them. That’s the story!!!

If he goes to the party, he lets his team down

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if he goes to the match, he lets his friends down

How about setting it at the last pep rally at the end of the year. With the main character having to deal with the outcome of the last big game. (It effects how people treat him. ex: He lost the big game. He won the big game) Plenty of flashbacks will allow you to blend both.