If you’re trying to decide which camera to buy for recording grass roots football, the shortlist is actually quite small. For most clubs and coaches, it comes down to three main routes: a dedicated AI football camera like Veo, a cheaper AI tracking setup like XbotGo, or a simpler DIY camera such as a GoPro or Insta360 on a tall tripod.
1) Veo – best overall for clubs
Veo is still the strongest all-round option if you want a camera built specifically for football. Its pricing page lists the Veo Cam 3 at $1,299 and the Veo Cam 3 5G at $1,599, with subscription plans layered on top for recording, storage and analysis. It is designed for full-pitch capture, AI follow-cam viewing and team analysis, so it makes the most sense for clubs filming regularly. You can view the full details on the Veo pricing page.
Pros: purpose-built for football, strong AI tracking, good for team analysis.
Cons: expensive, and significant ongoing subscription costs apply. Uploading to Youtube requires a higher tier subscription, so you're tied to their platform's own video software.
2) XbotGo – best budget option
XbotGo is the most appealing lower-cost option. It uses your phone with an AI tracking mount, and XbotGo says the core features come with no monthly subscription, including tracking, live streaming and highlights. That makes it a much cheaper way to get automated football filming without committing to a full club-camera ecosystem. You can see the product on the XbotGo product page.
Pros: far cheaper than Veo, no subscription, good for parents and smaller clubs.
Cons: depends on your phone and setup. Weak tracking system often follows the player who runs most, not the ball... They're a pretty new start-up though and that's a software issue that I think they will probably improve significantly, in the near future.
3) GoPro360, DJI Osmo 360 or Insta360 action camera – best DIY route
If you want the cheapest workable setup, a GoPro or Insta360 on a tall tripod can still do the job. This is the option I've gone with for my grass roots team, though it definitely has some cons... I've got an Insta 360 X5, on a 2.5m tripod.
I went with this option for videoing my grass roots football team, because we couldn't justify Veo's subscription charges and because I didn't like XbotGo's tracking system. However, it does require a LOT of manual work. You need to set every keyframe manually, in terms of where the camera points throughout the match. That is very easy to do in the desktop suite (just right click the mouse), but a lot of people wouldn't think the effort is worth it. I chose the Insta 360 X5 over the other 360 action cams largely because it has the better desktop app.
One other advantage over the XbotGo is that you can go full wide-angle, to view the whole pitch. Something that's very useful for checking your overall team's setup. This is also available in Veo.
Pros: lower cost, no subscription, flexible for general filming. You've also basically just bought yourself an action camera. Very small and portable.
Cons: no proper football auto-tracking, so more manual work. Digital zoom can be weak for long distances (better for small football pitches).
Which one should you buy?
Buy Veo if you want the best dedicated football camera.
Buy XbotGo if you want the best value option.
Buy Insta360 X5 if you want the cheapest DIY setup.
Using recorded football games with Pitch1
One of the big advantages of filming your matches is that the footage does not have to sit in a folder and never get used. Within Pitch1, clubs can tie video back into their wider coaching plans by linking goals, match moments and training analysis in one place. That means recorded games can feed into session planning, player feedback and post-match review, rather than being treated as a separate tool.
Pitch1 also has a fun front end match commentary page for your players and parents to watch back the match. Check out an example of that here.
Summary
Ultimately, which is best depends on your budget and your time constraints. If you are flushed with cash, just go for a Veo but make sure you export your videos to youtube so you can keep them beyond any Veo subscription ending.
If you are on a limited budget and have limited time, go for the XbotGo, but be prepared for it to look the opposite way and miss the occasional goal.
If you have a limited budget but a lot of free time, go for the Insta360.