FA Age Group Rules Explained
The official FA format and match-length table SquadTracker uses for scheduling
FA Age Group Rules Explained
Every age group in English youth football has an FA-defined format and match length. SquadTracker uses this table throughout scheduling, so matches are always timed correctly for the age group playing.
What you'll learn
- The official FA format and match length for every age group
- Where SquadTracker applies these rules automatically
- Why getting age groups right matters for auto-scheduling
- Season Hub — Set Durations by Age Group — In Season Hub step 2, this bulk tool applies the correct match length to every team based on its age group, so you don't need to set durations one team at a time.
- Season Hub — Increment Age Groups — When you roll teams up an age group for the new season, this table is what the app checks against so formats and durations stay correct after the move.
- Auto-scheduler match-length maths — When Auto-Schedule stacks kick-off times back-to-back, it uses each team's match length from this table to work out when one fixture ends and the next can begin on the same pitch.
The FA Table
| Age group | Format | Match length |
|---|---|---|
| U7 | 3v3 | 40 min |
| U8 | 5v5 | 40 min |
| U9 | 5v5 | 40 min |
| U10 | 7v7 | 50 min |
| U11 | 7v7 | 60 min |
| U12 | 9v9 | 60 min |
| U13 | 9v9 | 70 min |
| U14 | 11v11 | 70 min |
| U15 | 11v11 | 70 min |
| U16 | 11v11 | 80 min |
| U17–U18 | 11v11 | 90 min |
Where SquadTracker uses this
Why it matters
Getting a team's age group right isn't just a label — it drives the match length used everywhere else in scheduling. An age group set incorrectly can throw off Auto-Schedule's maths, leading to fixtures that overlap or finish later than expected.
See also Season Hub and Auto-Schedule.