Blog
Everything you need to plan your next sports event.
- Tournament formats explained clearly
- Practical tools for clubs, schools, and leagues
- Training ideas and warm-up drills for coaches
- Guides and checklists for more efficient tournaments and fair competitions
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Round-Robin: How Many Games for 3 to 20 Participants? Algorithm, Formula and Table
⚽ Round-Robin: how many games for N teams or players? Formula N·(N-1)/2, table for 3 to 20 participants, Berger and double Round-Robin. With fixture PDF.
29 min read- planning
- tournament-modes
- round-robin
- schedule
- algorithm
Kickoff Times for a Football Tournament: Buffers, Lunch Break and What to Do When the Plan Slips
⚽ Kickoff times for a football tournament: DFB pause rule, four buffer types, and a 3-stage escalation when the plan slips. With indoor and outdoor examples.
12 min read- planning
- schedule
- kickoff-times
- youth-football
FutureFit Coaching Guide: 3v3 Funino Drills for Under-7s to Under-11s
⚽ FutureFit 3v3 explained: eight Funino drills, coaching cues and a parent-meeting email template for English Under-7s to Under-11s, plus printable drill cards.
37 min read- training
- youth-football
- funino
- mini-soccer
- fa-futurefit
Fair Playing Time in Youth Soccer: The "50% Rule" and 4 Models for U7 to U17
⚽ Fair playing time in youth soccer: what the "50% rule" really means, 4 age-appropriate models for U7 to U17, hard-case scenarios and a parents FAQ.
27 min read- coaching
- youth-football
- methodology
- parents
- club
- checklist
Futsal for Youth Football Coaches: the Practical Guide (Season 25-26)
⚽ Futsal for youth football coaches: 8 rules, 5 drills with grass-pitch transfer and a 6-week plan. Turn the indoor season into real player development.
28 min read- training
- youth-football
- futsal
- indoor-season
Building a girls' football team: how to start a girls' section in your amateur club
⚽ Building a girls' football team in your amateur club: 6-month roadmap with the five biggest hurdles and concrete steps to launch your section.
25 min read- planning
- youth-football
- girls-football
- club
- checklist
Youth Football Coaching: 5 Training Methods Finally Reaching Your Local Club in 2026
⚽ Youth football coaching methods 2026: why small fields, less instruction and futsal move U8 to U13 forward. With a 30-day rollout plan.
15 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- methodology
Baby Fútbol vs Futbolito: what really separates the two formats
⚽ Baby Fútbol vs Futbolito: Chile plays 5v5 on 26×16m, Uruguay 9v9 on grass. Rules, pitch dimensions and age groups compared for coaches.
17 min read- planning
- youth-football
- rules
The right football schedule for 5, 7 or 10 teams: format, match count and time budget
⚽ Football schedule for 5, 7 or 10 teams: the right format, match count and time budget per team count. With time tables, FAQ and free generator.
10 min read- planning
- tournament-modes
- schedule
- club
9-a-side football in U13: formations and lineups for coaches
⚽ Moving from 7-a-side to 9-a-side U13: pitch dimensions, offside rule, and the 3-2-3 and 3-3-2 formations with pros and cons. A practical guide for coaches.
16 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- tactics
Youth Football Locker Room Talk: What to Say Before the Game (and What to Skip)
⚽ Youth and children's football locker room talk: 2-minute framework for U10 coaches, phrases for the first game and after defeat. Take pressure off, not pile it on.
9 min read- coaching
- preparation
- youth-football
My team isn't scoring: 3 emergency drills for youth finishing training (U11)
⚽ U11 not scoring enough? identify five typical causes and turn finishing around in three weeks with three compact 5-minute drills.
10 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- finishing
Youth Football Game Formats 2026: Overview for Coaches and Club Youth Directors
⚽ New game formats from 2026 for U6 to U11: what's changing, why the reform was introduced and how your club handles the transition, with a parent FAQ.
22 min read- planning
- youth-football
- rules
U11 Football Drills: Warm-up Without Equipment
⚽ Warm-up without equipment for U11: three drills without a ball, three with a ball and a ready-made 15-minute plan for coaches and parent helpers.
8 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- warm-up
- checklist
Dribbling Drills for U9, U10, U11: 9 Exercises with Coaching Plan
⚽ Nine dribbling drills for U9, U10 and U11: with setup, coaching cues and a 60-minute training plan, written for beginner coaches too.
18 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- checklist
Counter-Pressing in Youth Training: Three Drills for Your U13 and U14
⚽ Implementing counter-pressing with U13 and U14: what you can really take from Klopp and Alonso, plus three drills for your next session.
20 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- tactics
Youth Football Tryouts: What to Actually Look For
⚽ Youth football tryouts without guesswork: which qualities you can really spot in 90 minutes, four observation stations and an evaluation checklist.
12 min read- coaching
- planning
- youth-football
- checklist
End-of-season team trip: the complete checklist for youth coaches
⚽ Organising an end-of-season trip with your youth team: step-by-step checklist with timeline, duty-of-care guide and emergency folder.
14 min read- planning
- checklist
- youth-football
Transition Play in Youth Football: the 3 Seconds That Decide Games
⚽ Transition play in youth football: switching to attack within three seconds of winning the ball, plus three drills for U10-U15 to use tomorrow.
11 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- tactics
Warm-Up Drills for Youth Football: 4 New Rondo Variations for Your Training
⚽ Rondo warm-up variations for U12: 4v4+3, release rondo, target rondo and mandatory double pass, with pitch sizes and a six-week progression.
16 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- warm-up
Corner kick routines for youth football: 3 templates to drill this week
⚽ Corner kick routines that actually work for U13-U17: short corner, blocker corner and second wave, with roles, commands and a 20-minute drill.
14 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- set-pieces
Small-Space Training: 5 Drills for Half a Pitch and a Small Hall
⚽ Limited space, big impact: five small-space training drills for youth players, ready to use tomorrow, with setup, variations and coaching cues.
11 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
Rest Defence in Youth Football: How to Train It Simply
⚽ Training rest defence in youth football: the three core principles and three drills for U10-U16 you can use at your very next session.
15 min read- coaching
- training
- youth-football
- tactics
How to prepare your youth team for a tournament: the complete plan from 4 weeks out to the drive home
⚽ Preparing your youth team for a tournament: physical, organisational and mental preparation for coaches, including a packing list and matchday schedule.
17 min read- coaching
- preparation
- youth-football
What prizes should I buy for my football tournament?
⚽ Choosing the right football tournament prizes: trophies, medals or vouchers compared by cost, plus tips for an award ceremony everyone will remember.
5 min read- planning
- beginners
- youth-football
The 5 biggest tournament planning mistakes and how to avoid them
⚽ The five most common tournament planning mistakes: what costs first-time organisers their nerves on matchday and how to avoid each pitfall.
7 min read- planning
- beginners
- youth-football
How to organize a football tournament: the ultimate guide for coaches and youth leaders
⚽ Organising your first football tournament: step-by-step checklist for 6-10 teams, a ready-made 8-team schedule and 12-week preparation plan.
10 min read- planning
- indoor-tournament
- youth-football
- checklist
Organizing a football tournament: The complete checklist for coaches with timeline, budget and digital tools
⚽ Organize a football tournament: 12-week plan, budget calculator, parent-mail templates, workbook download and warm-up recommendations for coaches.
39 min read- planning
- checklist
- youth-football