On this page 4 sections
Rules change as players grow. This page is for coaches, and for parents who want to know why a game looks the way it does. These are the rules for our rec games. Rules marked “club rule” are the club’s ownto be confirmed; league and tournament games may play them differently.
Quick guide by age
| Age | Players a side | Goalkeeper | Offside | Heading | Penalty kicks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U5 | 3v3 or 4v4 | No | No | No | No |
| U6 and U8 | 4v4 | No | No | No | No |
| U9–U10 | 7v7 (6 + goalkeeper) | Yes, no punting | Only past the build-out line | No | No (club rule) |
| U11–U12 | 9v9 (8 + goalkeeper) | Yes, no punting (club rule) | Yes | U11 no; U12 yes | Discouraged |
Field, goal and ball sizes
US Soccer’s recommended sizes. Your field may differ.
| Age | Field (yards) | Goal (feet, max) | Ball | Game length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U6–U8 | 25–35 long, 15–25 wide | 4 high, 6 wide | Size 3 | 4 × 10 min |
| U9–U10 | 55–65 long, 35–45 wide | 6.5 high, 18.5 wide | Size 4 | 2 × 25 min |
| U11–U12 | 70–80 long, 45–55 wide | 7 high, 21 wide | Size 4 | 2 × 30 min |
At every age
- Keep it positive. It takes at least five positive comments to undo one negative comment aimed at a child. That goes for your players and for the referees.
- Play even numbers. If a team is short, lend a player or both teams drop one. (7v7 works fine as 6v6.)
- Avoid blowouts. If one team goes up by about four goals, the team that’s behind adds a player.
- Handballs: a deliberate handball gets a simple restart; an accidental one plays on.
A player who dominates. Don’t ask them to “take it easy.” Try them in another position or in goal, give them the same rest as everyone else, challenge them to set up a teammate, or ask the other coach to add a player. If it keeps happening, talk to the parents and the club: the player may be ready for an older group or for LSC United.
Heading
US Soccer’s concussion rules:
- U11 and younger
- no heading, in games or at practice. A deliberate header is an indirect free kick to the other team.
- U12
- heading is allowed in games. At practice, keep it short: no more than 30 minutes a week, and 15–20 headers per player.
Rules by age
U5
All about fun and each child, not results. Play 3v3 or 4v4. Before the game, agree with the other coach how loose the lines are (“bumper soccer”) and whether the ball comes back in with a kick-in or a throw-in.
U6 and U8
- No goalkeeper; small goals.
- Coaches can be on the field to help players move and find space.
- A build-out line on goal kicks (club rule) stops “poached” goals and teaches passing out from the back.
- Teach throw-ins and goal kicks, but don’t stop the game or give the ball away over a bad throw-in.
- About the only stoppage is for rough play: deal with the behavior, then restart.
U9 and U10
Now it looks like the soccer we know.
- A goalkeeper, who can’t punt or drop-kick.
- Build-out line: on goal kicks and when the goalkeeper has the ball, the other team goes behind it until the ball is played.
- Offside only between the build-out line and the goal line.
- No penalty kicks (club rule).
- Teach throw-ins, goal kicks and corners without punishing mistakes.
U11 and U12
- Offside is on. A player is offside only if they’re past the second-last defender and the ball when it’s played to them, and then get involved in play. A player level with or behind the ball is onside. There’s no offside straight from a corner kick, goal kick or throw-in.
- Being called offside usually means a player is trying to attack. That’s good: keep encouraging it.
- The goalkeeper can’t punt or drop-kick (club rule).
- Build-out line on goal kicks (club rule): on the bigger field, booting it isn’t a real option for many U11s.
- Penalty kicks are discouraged.
- Throw-ins: late in the season, give each team one warning for a foul throw; after that the ball goes to the other team.
- Players keep score whether you do or not. Keep games competitive.
For what to work on at each age, see the development model.