Tallinn, like many Nordic cities, is known for its serene, efficient lifestyle, but it can be a challenge to break the ice with new people. That’s where Futpal comes in, not just as a sports platform, but as an effortless to connect in a way that actually works.
Through the platform, people from major tech companies like Wise, Bolt, and Pipedrive have found simple ways to connect with each other, have fun, and build community across the city — by playing their favourite sports.
With the slogan “Real People. Real Connections,” Futpal makes it easy to find and join sports games and group activities — from basketball and football, to winter swimming and dance. The app lets users book, play, host and connect with ease.
Since launching their web app in July 2024, Futpal has brought together over 3,000 people in Tallinn, helping them to integrate faster, and forming lifelong connections through activities. Now, the startup is setting its sights on international expansion, aiming to replicate its community-driven success in cities across Europe.
We sat down with the founder, Ousmane Ndure, to learn more about the journey behind this growing movement.
How did you end up in Estonia and decide to go on with a startup?
I visited Tallinn with my fiancée at the start of the COVID pandemic, planning for a short stay. Four months later, I was still here.
During that time, I was laid off from my job as an Engineer in London. It was the first time in over a decade that I didn’t have a clear next step. But something about Tallinn struck me — this city was full of incredible people building things that matter. Around the same time, I was reading Tim Urban’s “Octopus Transition” essay, and it made me rethink everything.
That’s when I decided to sharpen my coding skills by building something for myself. One problem I always faced whenever I moved to a new country was finding people to play football with, so that’s where it started.
What’s the current team structure?
Our founding team consists of myself and three close friends – Hanna Tallinn, William Azubuike, and Miracle Abiola— who studied together at University of Cambridge and University College London.
Together we’ve grown Futpal from a personal project into the community-driven platform that it is now. What makes us unique is our team’s firsthand experience with the problem. We’ve all been newcomers to a city, and know how challenging it is to expand your circle when it’s shrunk to just the people you work with.
Can you tell us about your background and how it led to Futpal?
I’ve lived in six countries, visited 43, and every time, it was the same routine – starting over, rebuilding my social circle from scratch.
After graduating and moving to London for my first job as an Engineer, reality hit hard. I was busier, moving less, and making friends felt like a chore. That’s when I realized: your network is your greatest asset, but most people let it decay without even noticing.
Fast-forward to Tallinn — same challenge, different city. But this time, I had a strategy: finding people through football. So I set up a website to solve this problem. But what began as casual after-work games for me, grew into something much bigger.
Every week, I saw it happen — conversations at our activities flowed naturally. A successful founder gave career advice to exchange students. A software engineer landed a job after meeting a Product Manager. People were exchanging contacts on the sidelines and sharing ideas during water breaks. All because they happened to be on the same team at our football games.
That’s when it hit me: the best networking happens when no one thinks they’re networking. When people play together, barriers drop, and real connections form.
What’s your vision for Futpal’s future expansion?
We’re creating the infrastructure for how busy people connect in cities around the world.
In the near future, we’re doubling down on empowering our most active members – the ones who love bringing people together. Every great community starts with one person daring to say, “Join me.” With Futpal, users can easily host their own games, activities, and events. Whether that’s to expand their network, earn extra income, or simply do more of what they enjoy.
We’re making it easier than ever for people to stay active, meet like-minded peers, and build connections that last. And this is just the beginning.
What are your plans for expanding to new markets?
Estonia is our launchpad for scaling across the Nordics and the EU. Right now, we’re refining our model in Tallinn and Tartu — partnering with top venues, universities, and companies that value real human connection.
Our approach is simple: empower our most passionate users to host their own games and events, with seamless payments and a host certification program to ensure quality. Next, we expand into high-growth cities where professionals need better ways to connect.
Besides football, what other sports are you incorporating into Futpal?
We offer a variety of daily sports organised by our event hosts – such as basketball, volleyball, table tennis, futsal etc. We also partner with certified instructors to provide dance classes, yoga, pilates, and CrossFit.
Through our partnerships with RedBull Estonia, Unibet Sports Bar, and JK Tallinna Kalev, we offer users exclusive access to e-sports and football tournaments at the best venues in Tallinn. Our events have become natural meeting points for Estonia’s growing international tech talent, from casual football games where startup founders connect, to pickup basketball games where engineers from different companies meet up each week for a casual run.
Any final thoughts on Futpal development and future plans?
We simply want to live in a world where professionals of all backgrounds and fitness levels feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to go outside and live their best lives, no matter which city they find themselves in.
Building Futpal in Estonia has given us unique advantages – from the digital-first business environment to the supportive startup ecosystem. As we grow, we’re proud to be part of Estonia’s thriving tech scene.
Wish to compare Estonia’s business environment to that of other EU countries? Try out our brand-new comparison tool.
