Future Fit 3v3 Football: A Guide for Clubs, Coaches & Parents

England Football's research backs smaller-sided football as the strongest introduction to the game. With only three players a side, each child gets:

• more involvement in the game
• more touches of the ball
• more decisions to make
• more attacking and defending actions
• more chances to score and to stop goals
• more physical activity
• more playing time overall

Formats smaller than 5v5 are already used for young players across many European nations, and 3v3 is used within England's male and female talent pathways.

3

Players per team

0

Goalkeepers

0

Substitutes

0

Referees

No goalkeepers. Every player is involved in attacking and defending, with far more chances to use and manipulate the ball.

No substitutes. The format is built to maximise playing time rather than leave young children waiting on the touchline.

No traditional match official. Games are supported by adult Team Facilitators instead of referees, so children have space to make their own decisions while an adult keeps things safe and positive.

Future Fit replaces the referee with an adult facilitator. Their job is to support the children, keep the game safe and positive, and let the players make as many of their own football decisions as possible.

At Grayshott we ask for one Team Facilitator per pitch in use. Because each pitch holds two teams, the booking system works it out as the number of Future Fit teams divided by two, rounded up.

1 team

1 facilitator

2 teams

1 facilitator

3 teams

2 facilitators

4 teams

2 facilitators

5 teams

3 facilitators

6 teams

3 facilitators

Future Fit is deliberately flexible. England Football's guidance allows 3v3 pitches roughly between 10m × 15m and 15m × 20m, depending on the space available and the challenge that suits the players.

Cones or flat markers are all you need — permanent pitch markings aren't required. A standard 5v5 area can hold several 3v3 pitches, and England Football's own example shows as many as four 3v3 areas fitting into one typical 5v5 playing area, so more children play at the same time.

6

Pitches

12

Teams

09:00

–10:00

6

Rounds

We run six numbered 3v3 pitches at once. When a Saturday is fully booked, twelve Future Fit teams attend, six matches are played simultaneously, and teams rotate through six rounds of eight minutes with a two-minute changeover in between.

1. R1 09:00–09:08
2. R2 09:10–09:18
3. R3 09:20–09:28
4. R4 09:30–09:38
5. R5 09:40–09:48
6. R6 09:50–09:58

England Football

Individual 3v3 games typically last 6–10 minutes.

At Grayshott

We use 8-minute games across six rounds.

Future Fit isn't one long match. It's built around several short fixtures, with England Football recommending roughly 6–10 minutes per game and teams moving between pitches carousel-style.

That gives children the chance to play with and against different players, and aims to give each child around 30–40 minutes of playing time.

England Football

Move players around the pitches after each short match.

At Grayshott

8 minutes playing plus a 2-minute changeover, six times over.

On a full twelve-team Saturday, six teams start as the fixed teams on their pitch and six form the moving group. After each round the moving teams rotate to another pitch, which creates different match-ups through the hour and keeps repeat fixtures to a minimum.

1. Round 1

   Start

2. Round 2

   Move →

3. Round 3

   Move →

4. Round 4

   Move →

5. Round 5

   Move →

6. Round 6

   Move →

Ball

Size 3 · around 5 PSI

Goals

About 120cm × 75cm (4ft × 2.5ft)

The format is designed to be easy to set up with accessible equipment and the spaces clubs already use.

3v3 doesn't depend on perfect attendance. If numbers change on match day, formats can be adapted — 2v2, 3v2, or mixing squads to make workable teams. U7 football is non-competitive, and the priority is simply giving children the chance to play.

Our booking system still asks clubs for accurate expected player numbers in advance so pitches and rotations can be organised properly. Match-day flexibility doesn't replace booking.

1. 1 · High five

   Every game starts with a high five — respect and good sportsmanship first.

2. 2 · Rock, paper, scissors

   A quick and fun way for the players to decide who kicks off.

The format puts children at the centre of the game. It isn't about adults directing every action. The Team Facilitator looks after safety, fairness, positive behaviour and a bit of simple guidance where it's needed.

Everything else belongs to the players: making decisions, solving problems, attacking, defending, restarting play and experiencing the game for themselves. That's the heart of Future Fit.

U7 football is non-competitive. At Grayshott Future Fit we produce no league tables, don't record scores and never publish results. The emphasis is participation and development — playing, learning and enjoying football.

This page summarises the England Football Future Fit 3v3 guidance and explains how we deliver the format at Grayshott. It isn't a replacement for the official guidance.

• See how U7 3v3 football works at Grayshott
• Read the U7 3v3 rules
• Check the 3v3 pitch size and setup
• Browse all 3v3 resources