FA Future Fit Explained: What It Means for Your Club or Team
Key Takeaways
In short
The FA's Future Fit framework changes the format, pitch size and goal size for almost every youth age group in England from the 2026/27 season. The headline change is a new 3v3 entry format at Under-7, replacing 5v5, alongside every format starting a year later than before, with 11v11 now beginning at Under-14 rather than Under-13.
Grassroots football in England is going through its biggest shake-up in over a decade. From the 2026/27 season, the FA's Future Fit framework changes the format, pitch size and goal size for almost every youth age group, not just the widely-discussed move to 3v3 at Under-7.
If you coach, manage or volunteer at a grassroots club, here's the complete picture in one place, kept plain and practical rather than buried in committee language. If you haven't yet read our companion piece on what 3v3 football actually is, that's a good place to start for the Under-7 specifics.
Why is the FA doing this?
The changes follow a two-year research partnership between the FA and Liverpool John Moores University, which studied more than 400 grassroots games across Under-6 to Under-14 level. The consistent finding: smaller-sided formats give young players significantly more touches of the ball, more 1v1 situations, and more time actually involved in play, all of which support faster technical development. The FA also compared playing structures across more than 40 European countries as part of shaping the new pathway.
Coaching Fact
The FA's Future Fit changes followed a two-year research partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, studying more than 400 grassroots games across Under-6 to Under-14 level.
“The changes are the product of a genuine two-year period of consultation with the grassroots game.”
Mike Phelan Coaching Expert Team
Three core changes, in summary
- A new 3v3 entry format at Under-7, replacing 5v5, using smaller 4ft x 2.5ft goals.
- Every format now starts a year later than before. Most notably, 11v11 begins at Under-14 rather than Under-13, giving players an extra year in smaller-sided football before making the jump to the full game.
- Updated restart rules across age groups, designed to keep the ball in play more and reduce stoppages, alongside stricter heading rules at younger ages following player welfare research.
The full pathway, age group by age group
| Age Group | Format | Ball Size | Goal Size | Pitch Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U7 | 3v3 | Size 3 | 4ft x 2.5ft (120cm x 75cm) | 15m x 10m (recommended) |
| U8-U9 | 5v5 | Size 3 | 12ft x 6ft | Mini-soccer pitch |
| U10-U11 | 7v7 | Size 3 | 12ft x 6ft | 60 x 40 yards |
| U12-U13 | 9v9 | Size 4 | 16ft x 7ft | 80 x 50 yards |
| U14 | 11v11 | Size 5 | 21ft x 7ft | 90 x 55 yards |
| U15-U16 | 11v11 | Size 5 | 24ft x 8ft (full size) | 100 x 60 yards |
We've broken this table down further, with more detail on transitions and what changes at each step, in our full Future Fit Pathway guide.
Why the extra year in each format matters
Delaying the jump to 11v11 until Under-14 gives players an extra season of smaller-sided football, where they touch the ball more often and face fewer of the physical mismatches that can dominate the full-sized game before players have finished developing. It's the same underlying logic as the 3v3 change, applied right through the pathway rather than just at the youngest age group.
What this means for your existing equipment
This is the most reassuring part for most clubs: very little kit actually needs replacing. If your goals are already the right size for 5v5, 7v7, 9v9 or the U14 stage of 11v11, they remain correct under Future Fit. The one genuine addition to most clubs' equipment lists is a set of 4ft x 2.5ft goals for the new U7 3v3 format, since nothing at that size previously existed in most kit stores.
Ball sizes are worth double-checking too. Size 3 now covers 3v3, 5v5 and 7v7, all the way through to Under-11. Size 4 applies at U12-U13, and Size 5 begins at U14.
From the Coaching Team
Do we need permanent new pitches for 3v3?
No. 3v3 areas can be marked out with cones or flat discs on existing space, week to week, rather than requiring dedicated new pitches. Because up to four 3v3 areas fit within the footprint of a single 5v5 pitch, most clubs with existing junior facilities can accommodate the format without any site changes.
Is this definitely happening, or still a trial?
It's confirmed and mandatory across England from the start of the 2026/27 season, not a trial or pilot. The 2025/26 season was treated as a transition period specifically to give clubs, coaches and leagues time to prepare, and over 20 leagues already ran 3v3 as early adopters during that season, with consistently positive feedback from coaches and players.
Does this apply to girls' and women's grassroots football too?
Yes. The Future Fit framework applies to all grassroots youth football in England regardless of gender.
What should clubs do now?
- Check your goal stock against the table above and order 4ft x 2.5ft goals for any U7 teams, since this is the one genuine gap in most existing kit
- Confirm your ball sizes match the updated bands, particularly at U11 (now Size 3) and U14 (now Size 5)
- Brief your coaches on the updated restart and heading rules for their specific age groups
- Check with your league or County FA for any locally published implementation detail, since the national framework is fixed but some local arrangements are still being finalised
- Plan training sessions that reflect the new formats now, rather than waiting for the first fixture to introduce a format your players haven't practised in
Future Fit is a genuinely significant change, but the practical task in front of most clubs this season is narrower than it first looks: new goals for U7, a ball size check, and a briefing for coaches. Everything else is largely unchanged. That's a good foundation to build the season on, whatever level your club plays at.
Coaches Notes
FAQs
Do we need to replace all our goals for Future Fit?
No. Existing 12x6ft goals remain correct for 5v5 and 7v7, 16x7ft goals remain correct for 9v9, and 21x7ft goals remain correct for U14. The only addition most clubs need is 4ft x 2.5ft goals for the new U7 3v3 format.
When did 11v11 move to Under-14?
From the 2026/27 season, as part of the wider Future Fit change that shifts every format a year later through the pathway.
Where can I find official FA guidance on my specific league?
The FA's Future Fit Digital Content Hub and your County FA are the best sources for locally published implementation detail alongside the national framework.
What ball size should U11 teams use under Future Fit?
Size 3. This is a common point of confusion, since clubs often defaulted to Size 4 under the old pathway. Future Fit extends 7v7, and Size 3 ball use, through to Under-11, with Size 4 now starting at U12.
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