FA Age Group Rules Explained

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

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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.