What changes for U7 football in 2026/27
The FA says 3v3 becomes the entry format for U7 football in England from the start of the 2026/27 season. The format is intended to give each child more involvement, decisions, ball contact, playing time and chances to score or prevent goals.
The national format is a starting point. Coaches should confirm local delivery, affiliation, scheduling and venue arrangements with their league and County FA because supporting information continues to develop.
One-screen 3v3 setup
| Item | National guidance |
|---|---|
| Players | Three per team; use 2v2, 3v2 or mixed squads when attendance requires flexibility. |
| Goalkeeper | None. |
| Match official | None. |
| Adults | One adult facilitator per pitch, supporting safe child-led decisions. |
| Pitch | Approximately 10×15m to 15×20m; up to four can fit on a 5v5 pitch. |
| Goals | Approximately 120×75cm (4×2.5ft). |
| Ball | Size 3 at 5 psi. |
| Game length | Normally 6–10 minutes. |
| Overall playing time | Use several short games to provide about 30–40 minutes per child. |
Restarts and scoring in plain language
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Starting the game | Players begin with a high five; rock-paper-scissors can decide who starts. |
| Sideline, corner, free kick or goal line | The player may dribble or pass the ball back into play. Opponents stay at least 3m away. |
| Goal-line restart | Opponents retreat into their own half. |
| Scoring | A shot counts only when the player taking it is in the opponents’ half. |
| After a goal | The team that conceded restarts from its goal line; the scoring team returns to its own goal line. |
| Heading and penalties | There is no heading and no penalty-kick restart in this format. |
Worked example: turn one 5v5 space into four games
Mark four small rectangles inside the available 5v5 area, leaving safe movement space between them. Put one small goal at each end of every pitch, one size-3 ball on each pitch and one adult facilitator with each game.
With 24 children, create eight teams of three and start four games at once. With 22 children, six teams of three plus two pairs could play three 3v3 games and one 2v2 game rather than placing children on a substitute bench.
| Pitch A | Pitch B |
|---|---|
| Team 1 v Team 2 | Team 3 v Team 4 |
| Pitch C: Team 5 v Team 6 | Pitch D: Team 7 v Team 8 |
Carousel example without substitutes
Play four eight-minute rounds with a short movement break. After each round, one team stays and the other moves to the next pitch. Change the direction of movement halfway through so teams meet different opponents. Every child remains part of a playing team rather than waiting as an in-game substitute.
| Round | Pitch A | Pitch B | Pitch C | Pitch D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 v 2 | 3 v 4 | 5 v 6 | 7 v 8 |
| 2 | 1 v 4 | 3 v 6 | 5 v 8 | 7 v 2 |
| 3 | 1 v 6 | 3 v 8 | 5 v 2 | 7 v 4 |
| 4 | 1 v 8 | 3 v 2 | 5 v 4 | 7 v 6 |
Coach for involvement and decisions
- Let children restart and solve simple problems wherever it is safe to do so.
- Use short prompts and questions instead of lengthy tactical instructions.
- Avoid fixing seven-year-olds into rigid defender, midfielder and attacker identities.
- Change pitch size or match-ups when a game needs a different challenge.
- Value dribbling, passing, movement, defending and enjoyment across every role.
Check local delivery before matchday
Ask your league or County FA how fixtures, affiliations, venue setup, reporting and any local operating detail will work. National guidance does not remove the need to follow the arrangements that apply to your competition and club.
Find your County FA through The Football Association and use your league’s current contact route.
Common 3v3 setup mistakes
- Running one 3v3 game while the rest of the squad waits as substitutes.
- Adding a goalkeeper or match official because those roles existed in a previous format.
- Using full-size goals, an over-inflated ball or a pitch that prevents regular involvement.
- Stopping play repeatedly to assign rigid positions.
- Using generic tournament rules instead of the current FA FutureFit source and local instructions.
Printable U7 3v3 setup checklist
- Latest FA FutureFit guidance re-checked.
- League and County FA delivery arrangements confirmed.
- Teams of three planned, with flexible 2v2 or 3v2 options.
- No goalkeeper, match official or in-game substitutes planned.
- Pitches marked between roughly 10×15m and 15×20m.
- Goals approximately 120×75cm and size-3 balls at 5 psi ready.
- One adult facilitator assigned to each pitch.
- Six-to-ten-minute games and carousel movement explained.
- Restart distance, goal-line retreat and scoring-half rule understood.
- Around 30–40 minutes of playing time planned for every child.
How Grassroots Coach can help
Grassroots Coach includes built-in three-player formation support and can help a coach plan players, short periods, sessions and related drills. Those layouts are optional planning aids, not a requirement for U7 players. The FA format still has no goalkeeper, official or substitutes within a game, and the app does not replace league, County FA, adult-supervision or safeguarding arrangements.
three-player Teamsheet Builder supportfootball session planning
Official sources
Rules-dependent guidance was checked against these primary sources. Confirm the latest FA, league and County FA position before delivery.
- 3v3 setup, playing time and restartsThe Football Association / England Football · checked 20 July 2026 · review by 20 October 2026
- 2026/27 implementation timingThe Football Association / England Football · checked 20 July 2026 · review by 20 October 2026
- U7 3v3 entry-format changeThe Football Association / England Football · checked 20 July 2026 · review by 20 October 2026
- England Football Learning 3v3 coaching analysisEngland Football Learning · checked 20 July 2026 · review by 20 October 2026
Keep the plan and the football record together.
See the relevant Grassroots Coach workflow, or return to the Coaching Resources hub for another practical guide.