3 v 3 gives young players the best introduction to football

With No Goalkeepers, officials or subs kids stay active and make their own decisions

It’s a Fun, Fast, Forward thinking game where every child plays.

Over half of the European nations we’ve surveyed already use formats smaller than 5v5 for U7s, and 3v3 is already being used across our male and female talent pathways.

It has been proven to be a fantastic format for developing young players and their skills.

Extensive research has shown 3v3 encourages more physical activity and increases technical actions, meaning more touches on the ball and more play on the pitch for your young players. 

Setting up 3v3

The pitch size, number of adults and average number of players currently needed for 5v5 can be adapted to deliver 3v3.

You can create up to four 3v3 pitches on a 5v5 pitch, giving everyone the chance to play more, for longer!

There’s no goalkeepers, giving players a faster-paced game with more chances to develop ball manipulation skills.

There’s no officials, just one adult facilitator per pitch to help children make their own decisions safely. This gives young players the freedom to lead their own game. 

There’s no subs, meaning every child can play as much as they want.

The ball size for 3v3 is size 3 (psi. 5). The recommended goal size is 120x75cm (4×2.5ft).

3v3 Multiple fixtures

This set up of 3v3 creates opportunity for you to have multiple fixtures. 

Each 3v3 match should last between 6-10 minutes. After each match, you could move players around the pitches using a simple carousel approach. 

This creates the recommended 30-40 minutes of playing time for each player, and the chance to play with and against different players. 

3v3 Flexible pitches

3v3 doesn’t have to be set up on a 5v5 pitch if it’s not the easiest way for you.

3v3 can be set up in different locations week to week, using cones or flat disks. You can use bigger or smaller sized pitches, or unmarked spaces. You can even create more than 4 pitches at a time!

You can also vary the pitch size between 10x15m to 15x20m to make 3v3 fit better for you, and to give players different challenges.

3v3 Flexible teams

If not enough players from your squads turn up on match day, you could have smaller teams playing, like 2v2, or even have some 3v2 matches to create an exciting challenge for your players.

You can also mix your squads up to create enough 3v3 teams. The U7’s game is non-competitive, and kids just want the chance to play, even if it’s on a different squad!

3v3 Getting started

Football is inherently competitive, and 3v3 is all about showing young players what good sportsmanship looks like.  

To show we respect the standard, 3v3 games start with a high five. 

Rock, paper, scissors is a fun and quick way for players to decide who starts.

A lot of the game rules are going to stay the same for U7s, with a stronger emphasis on more action and sharper reaction, better precision and faster decisions.

There’s no heading or penalty kicks in 3v3. Any free kick must be at least 3m from the goal.

Players have the option to either dribble or pass in at all restarts (goal line, corners, sidelines and free kicks). Opposition players should be a minimum of 3m away.

For goal line restarts, opposition players retreat to their own half of the pitch.

A player must be in their opponent’s half for a goal to count when shooting.

After a goal, the game restarts with a goal line restart for the team who’s just conceded.

After a goal is scored, all players (from the team that scored) return to their goal line.

What are your thoughts on the new 3v3 Format ?