Long-form Editorial Writer - Freelance

Company Description

Football Paradise is one of world football’s premier homes for long-form writing and storytelling in football. For almost two decades, we’ve treated football as culture, history, art and philosophy, not just sport. We believe in depth, narrative, and craft, and our community of over 250,000 readers rewards stories that linger long after the final whistle. If you think football is more than scores and transfers, you’ll feel at home here.

Role Description

We’re looking for India-based freelance writers who can conceive, research, and write world-class long-form essays on global football.

The ideal candidate will :

Tell great stories : You can build compelling narratives with strong arcs, vivid scenes, and memorable voices. Storytelling is central to everything we do.

Write an ambitious long-form : Comfortable producing 1,500–5,000+ word essays that blend football with history, culture, literature, philosophy, politics or economics.

Research deeply : Skilled at digging into archives, data and literature; conducting interviews when needed; and synthesizing diverse sources into insightful narratives.

Think globally : Passionate about European and international football, and able to frame stories for a worldwide audience.

Collaborate with editors : Open to feedback and capable of refining drafts into polished, publishable work.

Work independently : Organised, deadline-driven and able to manage projects without constant oversight.

Bring experience (or potential) : Published long-form clips are preferred, but emerging writers with extraordinary potential are welcome. Formal journalistic training is a plus, not a requirement.

Themes and inspiration

To set expectations and spark ideas, here are some past Football Paradise features that blend football with broader themes :

Essay : The Land of Yellow Dzambhala – Paraphrasing the Lure of the Chinese Super League, by Debkalpa Banerjee

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / the-land-of-yellow-dzambhala-paraphrasing-the-lure-of-the-chinese-super-league

Essay : The Lords of the Ball – J.R.R. Tolkien’s Legacy and FC Barcelona, by Piyush Bisht

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / tolkien-legacy-fc-barcelona

Essay : How Brazil Sold Its Soul – Nike, Luis Ronaldo and a Deal With The Devil, by Sarthak Dev

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / how-brazil-sold-its-soul-nike-luis-ronaldo-and-a-deal-with-the-devil

Essay : How Phil Coutinho Paid and Played His Way to Barcelona – An Earnest Investigation, by Srijandeep Das

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / phil-coutinho-played-paid-way-barcelona-earnest-investigation

Essay : Imagine Sisyphus Happy – Jurgen Klopp : Part-Manager, Part-Philosopher, by Oana Serban

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / imagine-sisyphus-happy-jurgen-klopp-part-manager-part-philosopher

Essay : On Football and India – A Conversation with Sunil Chhetri, by Anushree Nande

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / on-football-and-india-a-conversation-with-sunil-chhetri

Essay : Breaching the Golden Glass Ceiling : Arsenal and The Invincibles, by Anushree Nande

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / breaching-the-golden-glass-ceiling-arsenal-and-the-invincibles

Essay : The Foundations of a Dynasty – An Ode to Victor Valdes, by Taronish Elavia

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / the-foundations-of-a-dynasty-an-ode-to-victor-valdes

Essay : The Football Battalion – Staring Down the Barrel of World War 1 – Part 2, by Samiran Mishra

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / the-football-battalion-staring-down-the-barrel-of-world-war-1-part-2

Essay : The Messi vs Ronaldo Debate is the Low-point of Modern Football Conversation, by Juuso Kilpeläinen

Link : https : / / www.footballparadise.com / messi-vs-ronaldo-world-cup-2018

Compensation

₹2,500 per published piece (entry-level)

₹4,000 per published piece (experienced)

How to Apply?

Send us a single pitch to editor@footballparadise.com with the subject line Pitch – [Your Story Title].

Please include the following :

Your story — headline + short description (what’s the story?)

Why now — why is this topic relevant right now?

Your approach — the angles you plan to explore and how you're planning to narrate it

Samples — links to your best long-form work so that we understand if your literary tone, style, and standard of writing meet the Football Paradise editorial standards.

We look forward to hearing from you!