New steps to improve grassroots youth football in England to be introduced from the 2026-27 season
VISIT OUR DIGITAL CONTENT HUB FOR MORE INFO
From the start of the 2026-27 season, we will be launching a new progressive framework for grassroots youth football in England, which aims to further improve the experience for young players across the country – giving them more time on the ball, more time on the pitch and increasing their physical activity levels.
Over the past two years, we have been working with our stakeholders across the grassroots game to explore the future of youth football, alongside the physical and technical impact of our current formats on young players.
This comprehensive consultation process has been enhanced by a study into playing formats for youth players in other European nations and is complimented with our own research and testing within the grassroots game across England.
In partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, we have studied more than 400 grassroots games, from U6-U14 level, which has allowed us to better understand the technical and physical returns of different playing formats for young players and the impact of proposed adjustments.
From the 2026-27 season, we will be introducing the following changes and will shortly deliver a series of comprehensive workshops and tools to support all coaches, clubs and leagues across the country to further understand the changes that will be implemented:
• A new 3v3 entry format for the youngest players in the pathway at U7s level, fielding three players on each side, to maximise engagement and provide the best introduction to football.
• Each format will be played one year later as players transition through the pathway, including 11v11 which will move from U13s to U14s level.
• Greater alignment with schools with children playing smaller formats with simplified rules throughout primary school, before progressing to 9v9 and more complex rules at secondary school.
• Evolved Laws of the Game that are age-appropriate and best support the overall development of the young player. For example, amendments have already been made to game restarts for U7s-U9s to increase ball in play time.
A new Future Fit: Digital Content Hub has been launched to help the grassroots football community with these changes in advance of implementation from the 2026-27 season, and the workshops will take place across the country in March and April 2025.
Our Future Fit: Digital Content Hub will be continuously updated over the next 18 months, to ensure the latest information is available to the grassroots game. Specific details around implementation of formats, including 3v3, will also follow as part of this.
Our Director of Football Development, James Kendall, said: “We’re excited about these new changes which follow a two-year period of consultation with the grassroots game. Our approach is about evolution, not revolution, helping to increase the levels of engagement, physical activity, skill development and the volume of technical actions for every player.
“Together with the County FA network, we are fully committed to working closely with all those involved in delivering grassroots youth football, providing the support needed to implement these changes across the country.”
Our Future Fit: Digital Content Hub for the future of youth football in England can be found below:
VISIT OUR DIGITAL CONTENT HUB FOR MORE INFO
So more changes a foot for the younger age groups brings more confusion.
Going three v three will require more qualified coaches, DBA checks, and pitches.
Currently pitches are provided by schools or local authorities who have little or no money to maintain the existing facilities.
The demand for more volunteers to step up to assist is unrealistic as many families are working variable shift systems required by employers and other who do not work are in receipt of social benefits that barely cover the essentials.
I have been a supporter of the current structured approach as both league and match official but I fear this may be a step too far.
If it’s a two year consultation why are you bringing the format in prior to the end of the two year term.
Whist these younger age groups prove to be the FA test environment for change when are you going to roll out the sin bin to the higher leagues in the ladder?
Once again I feel frustrated with change being enforced upon our beloved game.
I’ve been coaching children for 40 years. Way before the commencement of mini soccer and very much before girls were allowed to play.
Now we find the FA are more experienced than those of us who have always been at the sharp end.
It is extremely disappointing that we are now been told to expect 3 v 3 which is rubbish. We are told it comes from consultation, again rubbish. Anyone working with children at grassroots will know we don’t have the volunteers, we don’t have the pitches but we do have the practical knowledge that playing 3 v 3 is not for clubs.
Absolute madness , I’m a coach of a current under 8s team , the 3 v 3 is something we use in training however I don’t see any benefit of playing 3 v 3 matches , less players getting involved with football, more coaches required , more facilities required , too many rule changes are deffinitely causing more confusion than good , if it’s not broken don’t fix it , also means goalkeeper will be waiting longer to get involved with football , I can’t see how it all makes any sense
Absolutely flabbergasted by the ridiculous 3v3… it will be the end of grassroots football if this goes ahead. We use council pitches… are the FA and grassroots going to pay for them to be made smaller, are they going to sort new volunteers, the whole no ref no goalie is a joke. I don’t think anyone gets it. Why fix what isn’t broken!