3v3 Football Rules: A Simple Guide for Coaches and Parents
Key Takeaways
In short
3v3 football has a simplified rulebook: three players a side, no goalkeepers, no heading, no penalty kicks and no offside. At any restart the taker can pass or dribble the ball back into play, the opposition must retreat at least 3 metres, and a goal only counts if the shooter is in the opponent's half at the point of shooting. No match officials are required.
3v3 football strips a lot of the rulebook away. That's deliberate: fewer stoppages, fewer decisions to explain, more time actually playing. Here's everything you need to know before your first session or fixture, kept short enough to check pitch-side on your phone.
The basics
Three players a side, no goalkeepers, no match officials needed. Games are short, usually 6 to 10 minutes, and children rotate through several of them across a session so everyone gets 30 to 40 minutes of total playing time. There are no traditional substitutes, because the format is built around everyone playing throughout.
If you're short on numbers on a given day, the FA's guidance allows for flexible formats like 2v2 or 3v2, so every child who turns up still gets a game.
Coaching Fact
3v3's restart rules were deliberately simplified so children can self-officiate almost every situation, in line with the FA's approach to reducing unnecessary stoppages at the youngest age groups.
What's not allowed
- No heading
- No penalty kicks
- No offside
How restarts work
This is the part that catches most new coaches out, because it's genuinely simpler than the game they grew up with. At every restart, whether that's a goal line restart, a corner, a sideline or a free kick, the player taking it can choose to either pass or dribble the ball back into play. There's no requirement to pass to a teammate first.
| Restart | Rule |
|---|---|
| Free kick | Must be taken at least 3m from goal |
| Any restart (goal line, corner, sideline, free kick) | Taker can dribble or pass in |
| Opposition distance | Must retreat at least 3m from the restart |
| Goal line restart | Opposition retreats to their own half |
| After a goal is scored | Restart is a goal line restart for the team that conceded |
From the Coaching Team
Scoring
A goal only counts if the shooting player is in their opponent's half at the point of shooting. This keeps the game moving forward and stops long-range restart shots being used to score directly, without needing a formal offside rule to do it.
After a goal
Every player from the team that just scored returns to their own goal line before play restarts. This "retreat line" keeps the pace of the game consistent and gives the conceding team a fair, unpressured restart.
Why so few rules?
Fewer stoppages mean more actual playing time within each short game, and simpler rules mean less time spent explaining decisions to six and seven year olds who are there to play, not referee a technicality. It's the same underlying idea behind the whole Future Fit change: strip football back to what actually helps the youngest players develop, and let the rest go.
If you haven't yet read our overview of the format itself, our companion piece on what 3v3 football is covers the pitch, goal and ball sizing in full.
Coaches Notes
FAQs
Are there goalkeepers in 3v3 football?
No. There are no goalkeepers in the FA's 3v3 format.
Is there an offside rule in 3v3?
No, there's no offside rule. Instead, a goal only counts if the shooting player is in their opponent's half at the point of shooting.
Do 3v3 games need a referee?
No. The format is designed to run without match officials, with players and coaches applying the simple restart and distance rules themselves.
Can you head the ball in 3v3 football?
No, heading isn't permitted in the 3v3 format, in line with the FA's wider approach to reducing heading at younger age groups.
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