There is a change coming to grassroots football in England.
It is not about tactics. It is not about formations. It is about giving every young player the one thing the game has always struggled to provide in equal measure: the ball.
The Football Association's new 3v3 format for Under 7 football is the most significant structural shift in early years football coaching in a generation. If you work with five, six or seven-year-old players, whether you are a grassroots coach, a school PE teacher or a parent running sessions in the garden, this changes how you think about the game and the equipment you need to play it.
What Is the FA's 3v3 Football Format?
The FA's 3v3 format removes the goalkeeper and replaces traditional five-a-side matches with smaller, faster, more player-intensive games. Three players per side. No defined keeper. A smaller pitch, smaller goals, and a game built entirely around involvement.
Every child plays. Every child touches the ball. Every child makes decisions, defends, attacks, and experiences the full range of what football asks of a player.
It is deliberately constrained. The reduced numbers and reduced space force players to solve problems constantly. There is nowhere to hide. There is no dominant player who can carry the team while others stand still. The game finds everyone.
Why Small-Sided Football Develops Better Players
When you reduce the number of players on the pitch, each individual player gets significantly more time on the ball. More time on the ball means more practice. More practice means faster skill development.
In a traditional eleven-a-side game, a young player might touch the ball a handful of times across the entire match. In a 3v3 game, they touch it dozens of times. Every touch is a learning opportunity.
- Awareness of space and time: players learn to find and deny space before they are formally taught.
- Decision-making under pressure: every decision in 3v3 is immediate. Pass, run, press, shoot or recover.
- Communication and teamwork: with only two teammates, every player must communicate and contribute.
- Defensive responsibility: no goalkeeper means every player defends, tracks runners and recovers.
- Confidence and character: full involvement from the first minute builds genuine confidence at every ability level.
What Does This Mean for Coaches?
If you are coaching Under 7 or Under 8 players this season, the 3v3 format changes your session planning from the ground up.
You will need multiple games running simultaneously. A squad of twelve becomes four teams of three. That means multiple pitches, multiple sets of goals, and portable equipment that sets up in seconds.
The sessions that work best in 3v3 formats are progressive: start with 1v1, build to 2v2, and let the full 3v3 game flow naturally from that foundation. This is the developmental pathway the FA's format is designed to support.
The Samba 3v3 Foldable Football Goal: Built for This Format
To coach the 3v3 format properly, you need goals that match the demands of the game.
The Samba 3v3 foldable football goal is designed exactly for this purpose. At 4ft x 2.5ft, it is the correct size for early years small-sided football. The shatterproof uPVC frame handles session-after-session use on any surface. It folds flat, packs away in seconds, and is light enough for a parent or player to carry without help.
For parents who want to extend the learning at home, the Samba 3v3 goal gives a child the right-sized target for 1v1 and 2v2 practice in the garden. The proportions matter. A goal built for the format teaches the game correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size goals are used in FA 3v3 football for Under 7s?
The FA recommends goals of approximately 4ft x 2.5ft for the 3v3 format at Under 7 level. The Samba 3v3 foldable goal is built to these dimensions.
How many goals do I need to run 3v3 sessions?
For a squad of twelve to sixteen players, you will need four to six goals to run multiple games simultaneously. The FA format works best when all players are active at the same time.
Is the 3v3 format suitable for all Under 7 players regardless of ability?
Yes. The reduced numbers and constant involvement mean players of all abilities get equal time on the ball and equal opportunity to develop. There is no structure that allows stronger players to bypass others.
Can the Samba 3v3 goal be used at home as well as at a club?
The Samba 3v3 folding goal is equally suitable for home garden use and club training sessions. The uPVC frame is safe, the goal folds flat for easy storage, and it is light enough for children to help set up and put away.
Will 3v3 replace five-a-side for Under 7s completely?
The FA's new format makes 3v3 the primary competitive framework for Under 7 football in England, built around development-first principles. It is now the recommended competitive structure for this age group.
The Bigger Picture
Football has always had the capacity to shape character as much as skill. The 3v3 format is a recognition of that truth. When every player is involved, challenged and on the ball, the game does what it does best.
It builds people who can think, adapt and contribute. It builds the kind of resilience that comes from being tested, falling short, and going again.
Mike Phelan has spent his career watching what separates the players who fulfil their potential from those who do not. It starts here, in the early years, in the small-sided game, with the right setup and a coach who understands what the format is really for.
