Sponsored by Dryello. Read the disclosure. Last reviewed September 25, 2026.
Quick answer
Athlete's foot is a common fungal skin infection in teen athletes. It shows up as itchy, peeling, or cracked skin between the toes. Kids can usually keep playing while it's treated. Use an over-the-counter antifungal such as tolnaftate or clotrimazole twice a day as the label directs, and keep going for at least a week after the rash clears. To keep it from coming back, get the cleats drying between practices, use moisture-wicking socks and change them after every session, wear slides in locker rooms and showers, and give your athlete their own towel. For a child under 10, check with the pediatrician first, since a foot rash at that age is usually something else. Our sponsored pick for treatment is Dryello's tolnaftate glide-on stick.
Key takeaways
- Athlete's foot is mainly a teen problem. Under age 10, HealthyChildren.org says a foot rash is usually something else, so call the pediatrician.
- Kids with athlete's foot don't need to sit out. HealthyChildren.org says they can play sports and go to school.
- Treat twice a day with an OTC antifungal, and keep going at least 7 days after the rash is gone (HealthyChildren.org).
- Cleats that never dry are the big risk factor. Air them out, pull the insoles, and rotate pairs if you can.
- Slides in the locker room, their own towel, and no shared socks or cleats (AAD).
- Dryello is featured first because it sponsors this guide. We didn't test any product.
How to spot athlete's foot in a young athlete
Flag football season means a lot of time in cleats: weeknight practices, weekend games, sometimes a tournament with three or four games in a day. Feet sweat inside those cleats, socks stay damp, and the shoes get tossed into a bag and left in the trunk. That's a very comfortable setting for the fungus that causes athlete's foot.
HealthyChildren.org, the parenting site of the American Academy of Pediatrics, describes athlete's foot as a red, scaly, cracked rash between the toes that itches and burns, and that can become raw and weepy with scratching. It often spreads to the insteps and comes with unpleasant foot odor. MedlinePlus adds that the most common sign is cracked, flaking, or peeling skin between the toes or on the side of the foot.
| What you notice | Most likely | What usually helps |
|---|---|---|
| Smelly cleats and damp socks, but healthy skin | Sweat plus odor-causing bacteria | Drying cleats, fresh socks, a foot antiperspirant for older kids |
| Itchy, peeling, or cracked skin between the toes | Likely athlete's foot (in teens) | OTC antifungal twice daily, dry feet, fresh socks |
| A foot rash in a child under 10 | Usually something else, per HealthyChildren.org | Call the pediatrician before treating |
| Spreading redness, pus, a red line up the leg, or fever | Possible bacterial infection | Call the doctor now (HealthyChildren.org) |
Age matters here. HealthyChildren.org says athlete's foot is mainly seen in teens, and that before age 10 a foot rash is usually something else. If your younger player has a rash, check with the pediatrician before buying an antifungal.
Can kids keep playing flag football with athlete's foot?
Yes, in most cases. HealthyChildren.org is direct about it: children with athlete's foot don't need to miss school, and they may take gym and play sports. It also notes the infection isn't easily spread to others, because the fungus can't grow on dry, normal skin.
What changes is the routine around practice. Treat the feet morning and night, pack a dry pair of socks for after practice, and keep your athlete's towel, socks, and cleats to themselves until the rash is gone. HealthyChildren.org also suggests drying the groin before the feet after a shower, or using a separate towel for the feet, so the fungus doesn't spread and cause jock itch.
Treating athlete's foot: what to use and how
Most mild athlete's foot in teens clears up with an over-the-counter antifungal. MedlinePlus lists miconazole, clotrimazole, terbinafine, and tolnaftate as the common active ingredients. The label is the rulebook: it tells you the youngest age, how often to apply, and for how long.
Our sponsored pick: Dryello Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick
Dryello Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick (sponsored)
- Drug Facts label on DailyMed: tolnaftate 1% antifungal, the same active ingredient as Tinactin.
- Label uses: cures most athlete's foot; relieves itching, burning, cracking, and scaling; prevents recurrence of most athlete's foot with daily use.
- Label directions: wash and dry feet thoroughly, apply a thin layer twice daily (morning and night), supervise children, pay special attention to the spaces between the toes, and change shoes and socks at least once daily.
- Label warning: do not use on children under 2 unless directed by a doctor. Stop and consult a doctor if irritation occurs.
- A dry glide-on stick, so there's no cream on hands and nothing to rub in. Dryello's site recommends twice daily for 4 weeks.
- Listed at $16.95 for a pack of two 15 g sticks on dryello.com on September 25, 2026.
Best for: Teen players who won't bother with a messy cream, and parents who want a treatment that's quick enough to happen every morning and night.
See the stick at dryello.comWhy a stick matters for kids: the hardest part of treating athlete's foot isn't the medicine, it's the follow-through. Twice a day for weeks is a lot to ask of a 13-year-old. A product that goes on in a few seconds, doesn't need handwashing afterward, and fits in a sports bag has a better chance of getting used for the whole course.
Other real options on pharmacy shelves
| Product | Active ingredient (label) | Youngest age on label | Labeled course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dryello Athlete's Foot Stick (sponsored) | Tolnaftate 1% | 2+ (under 2: ask a doctor) | Twice daily; label gives no set length (Dryello's site says 4 weeks) |
| Tinactin Antifungal Cream | Tolnaftate 1% | 2+ (under 2: ask a doctor) | Twice daily for 4 weeks |
| Lotrimin AF Cream | Clotrimazole 1% | 2+ (under 2: ask a doctor) | Twice daily for 4 weeks |
| Zeasorb Athlete's Foot Powder | Miconazole nitrate 2% | 2+ (under 2: ask a doctor) | Twice daily for 4 weeks |
| Lamisil AT Cream | Terbinafine HCl 1% | 12+ (under 12: ask a doctor) | 1 week between the toes; 2 weeks on the bottom or sides |
For a fuller side-by-side, including pros and cons of each format, see Mom's Magazine's best athlete's foot treatments for kids and teens.
Cleats, socks, and the sports bag: the prevention routine
Treatment clears the rash. Habits keep it from coming back. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says the fungus thrives in warm, moist places like the inside of hot, sweaty shoes, and recommends keeping feet dry even if you haven't gone barefoot anywhere public.
Cleats
- Get cleats out of the bag as soon as you're home. A closed bag in a warm car is the worst place for them.
- Pull the insoles so both the insole and the inside of the cleat can air-dry.
- If your athlete plays several times a week, a second pair of cleats or turf shoes lets each pair dry fully between wears. The AAD recommends alternating shoes for exactly this reason.
- Don't share cleats with siblings or teammates while anyone has a rash.
Socks
- Choose socks labeled moisture-wicking. HealthyChildren.org says socks made of man-made fibers keep feet drier and cooler than cotton.
- Change socks after every practice and game, and pack a spare pair for tournament days. During treatment, HealthyChildren.org suggests changing them twice daily.
- Wash socks with the normal laundry. HealthyChildren.org says they don't need to be boiled.
Locker rooms, showers, and pools
- Pack slides or shower shoes for locker rooms, team showers, pool decks, and hotel bathrooms on travel weekends (AAD).
- Give your athlete their own towel, and don't let them borrow a teammate's.
- After showering, dry completely between the toes before putting socks on.
The sports bag
- Keep a zip bag for wet socks so they don't sit against clean gear.
- Empty and air out the bag after every game weekend.
- Keep the treatment stick in the bag if your athlete needs a midday reapplication on tournament days, following the label's twice-daily directions.
Do sweaty feet cause athlete's foot?
Sweat doesn't cause the infection by itself. The fungus has to be picked up, usually from damp floors or shared towels and shoes. But once it's there, it grows best on warm, damp skin. MedlinePlus lists sweating a lot and keeping feet wet for long periods as risk factors, so drier feet make a real difference.
For older kids and teens whose main problem is sweat and smell, not a rash, a foot antiperspirant reduces sweat, while powders mostly absorb it. Dryello also makes a foot antiperspirant stick, For Him (listed at $14.50 on dryello.com on September 25, 2026; a For Her version showed as sold out that day). Its label says not to use it on broken skin, so it isn't a treatment for athlete's foot. Mom's Magazine's guide to sweaty, smelly feet in tween and teen athletes covers that side in detail.
When should you call the doctor?
HealthyChildren.org lists these reasons to contact your child's doctor:
- Fever with spreading redness, or a red line going up the leg: seek care now.
- The rash looks infected, drains pus, or the foot is very painful: within 24 hours.
- Your child is under 10, the rash spreads to the top of the foot, it isn't better after 1 week of treatment, or it isn't gone after 2 weeks: during office hours.
Also check with the doctor before self-treating if your child has diabetes or a condition that weakens the immune system.
Sources
- HealthyChildren.org, American Academy of Pediatrics. Athlete's Foot symptom checker. Accessed September 25, 2026.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Dryello Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick (tolnaftate 1%) drug label. Accessed September 25, 2026.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Dryello Antiperspirant Deodorant Foot Glide-On Stick drug label. Accessed September 25, 2026.
- American Academy of Dermatology. How to prevent athlete's foot. Accessed September 25, 2026.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Athlete's foot (Medical Encyclopedia). Accessed September 25, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Causes of ringworm (including athlete's foot). Accessed September 25, 2026.
Sponsorship disclosure
This article is sponsored by Dryello, a foot-care brand made by ProPedix, Inc. Dryello is a paying client of Flag Training Football, and Dryello paid for this placement. That is why Dryello products are recommended first on this page. Links to dryello.com are sponsored links (marked rel="sponsored") and include tracking parameters so Dryello can see visits from this page.
We did not lab-test, wear-test, or clinically evaluate any product on this page, and we do not publish reviews or ratings we did not collect. Product details come from each product's FDA-listed Drug Facts label on DailyMed or the manufacturer's own website, and prices come from dryello.com on the date stated. Other brands are mentioned for comparison only; none of them paid to appear and we have no relationship with them.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Always read and follow the product label. Talk to a doctor, podiatrist, or pharmacist about any foot problem that is not improving, and before treating your feet yourself if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or a weakened immune system.