The FA’s New 3v3 Format for Under 7s: Everything Parents and Coaches Need to Know
From the 2026/27 season, Under 7s football in England is changing. The FA is replacing 5v5 with a new 3v3 format: smaller teams, smaller pitches, and a game built entirely around the children playing it.
The change is part of the FA’s FutureFit programme, and it is now mandatory for U7s. Here is what is changing, why, and what it means for your Saturday mornings.
What is 3v3?
Exactly what it sounds like: three players per side. No goalkeepers. No substitutes. No referees.
Games are short, between 6 and 10 minutes each, and played as festivals. Teams rotate around several small pitches in a carousel, so every child faces different opponents and builds up 30 to 40 minutes of playing time across the session.
The set-up is deliberately simple:
- Pitches between 10x15m and 15x20m, and you can fit up to four of them on one standard 5v5 pitch
- Small 120x75cm goals (4ft x 2.5ft)
- A size 3 ball at low pressure, which is much easier for small feet to control
Why is the FA making the change?
The FA’s research showed that 3v3 encourages more physical activity and more technical actions. With only three players on each side, there is nowhere to hide and no standing still. Every child is constantly on the ball, making decisions, and involved in the game.
England is not going out on a limb here either. Over half of the European nations the FA surveyed already play formats smaller than 5v5 at Under 7.
And because there are no substitutes, every child plays the whole game. No one spends the morning watching from the sideline.
The 10 playing rules
- Rock, paper, scissors decides who starts the game.
- Every game starts and ends with a high five.
- At every restart (goal line, corners, sidelines and free kicks) players can choose to dribble in or pass in, with the opposition at least 3 metres away.
- At goal line restarts, the opposition retreats into their own half.
- A player must be in the opponent’s half for their goal to count.
- After a goal, the team that scored returns to their own goal line.
- Play restarts with a goal line restart for the team that just conceded.
- No goalkeepers and no penalty areas. Free kicks are taken at least 3 metres from goal.
- No referees. Games are supported by Pitch Facilitators, and the players are empowered to officiate their own game.
- No substitutes. Every child plays the whole game.
There is also no heading and there are no penalty kicks at this age group.
What is a Pitch Facilitator?
With no referee, adults take on a new role. A Pitch Facilitator is not a match official. Their job is to help the children manage their own game, often just by asking questions to make sure everyone is following the rules and playing fairly.
The FA expects children to need plenty of adult support in the first few weeks, with that support gradually stepping back as the players get used to running the game themselves. Their honest advice to leagues: the first few weeks might look a bit messy, and that is fine.
What this means for parents
- Your child will never sit on the bench. With no substitutes, every child plays every minute of every game.
- More touches, more confidence. Three-a-side means your child is on the ball far more often than in a 5v5 game.
- Self-officiating builds real skills. Sorting out a disputed throw-in themselves teaches fairness, communication and honesty.
- Expect a little chaos at first. That is normal, expected, and part of the plan.
What this means for coaches
Matchdays become festival mornings. Because up to four 3v3 pitches fit on a single 5v5 pitch, more games can run at once, and the carousel format means your players face a variety of opponents in one session.
Your role on the day shifts from instructing to facilitating. Less shouting instructions from the side, more letting the game be the teacher.
SquadTracker is ready for 3v3
SquadTracker’s scheduling is built on the FA’s official age rules, and Under 7 teams are already set up for 3v3 with 40-minute carousel festival sessions. Availability, festival scheduling and keeping every parent in the loop all work exactly the same as they do for older age groups.
If you run an U7s team and want matchday admin off your plate this season, SquadTracker is free to try.