---
title: "FutureFit Coaching Guide: 3v3 Funino Drills for Under-7s to Under-11s"
description: "⚽ 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."
datePublished: 2026-05-23
tags:
- training
- youth-football
- funino
- mini-soccer
- fa-futurefit
---
You are standing pitch-side on a Saturday morning, your Under-7s already restless on the touchline, and you know that from the 2026/27 season the FA's FutureFit programme has made 3-vs-3 the mandatory format for Under-7 football. Three players each side, one goal per end, no goalkeeper, no league table, no match officials. **FutureFit is the FA's roll-out name; Funino is the format itself.** Horst Wein invented it in Barcelona in the 1990s, Spain has used it since 1993, and England is finally catching up.
This guide is the practitioner's companion to the rule changes: what you actually do at training, which eight game-form variants to keep in your repertoire, how to adapt the format across Under-7s, Under-9s and Under-11s, and how to explain it to parents in ten minutes without an argument. With coaching cues, a printable drill-card PDF at the end, and a ready-to-send email template for the next parent meeting.
## What Funino is and how FutureFit relates to it
Funino is 3-vs-3 on a small pitch with few players and lots of touches. The FA's FutureFit programme is the English roll-out of that same format from the 2026/27 season onward, with England-specific rules (one goal per end, halfway-line shooting rule, 3 m Respect Line for spectators). Horst Wein invented Funino in Barcelona in the early 1990s, and internationally the idea has been established for thirty years.
Funino is a game form for six children: two teams of three outfield players, no goalkeeper. Under the **FA FutureFit framework**, the pitch is small (10 by 15 metres recommended, maximum 15 by 20 metres), with one goal per end at 120 by 75 cm. Under the **Wein-original and DFB-reform** versions, the pitch is 20 by 27 metres with four mini-goals (two per baseline, each 2 by 1 m, 12 m apart). Both variants train the same skill set, and both are recognisably Funino. We refer to the FA's English version as *FutureFit 3v3* and to the underlying coaching format as *Funino* throughout this article.
The FA published the official FutureFit framework in 2025 with a 2026/27 mandatory roll-out, and a 2025/26 *Early Adopter Programme* for leagues that want to start a season earlier. The full FA programme page is at [futurefit.englandfootball.com](https://futurefit.englandfootball.com/futurefit/index.html). Wein himself laid the methodological foundation in *Developing Youth Football Players* (Reedswain, 2004) and *Game Intelligence in Soccer* (Reedswain).
Wein coined the name FUNiño himself: from the English *fun* and the Spanish *niño* (child). Wein was living in Barcelona at the time the format took shape, and his coaching books became the official textbook of the Real Federación Española de Fútbol from 1993 onward. FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao have built the methodology into their academy curricula. Germany came late to the party. Mainz 05 (Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Lochmann, University of Erlangen) and Schalke 04 brought Funino into the German club system in the late 2000s. Lochmann's work under the heading *Wettkampfsystem 4.0* provided much of the scientific basis for the 2024/25 DFB reform (Lochmann, 2015; Akdag/Poimann/Czyz/Lochmann, 2016a, 2016b).
### How the federations differ
The same format, three rule books. If you have read other coverage that mixes them up, here is what is actually different and what is the same.
| Detail | FA FutureFit (England, 26/27) | DFB Reform (Germany, 24/25) | RFEF / Wein original (Spain, since 1993) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory age | Under-7s only (3v3 is the dedicated format) | Under-7s to Under-9s (one of several options) | Under-9s as the core format, used up to Under-11 |
| Pitch size | 10 × 15 m recommended, max 15 × 20 m | 20 × 27 m to 25 × 30 m (with smaller G-Jugend variant) | 20 × 27 m (Wein original) |
| Goals per end | 1 (single goal, 120 × 75 cm) | 2 mini-goals (2 × 1 m, 12 m apart) | 2 mini-goals (Wein design) |
| Shooting rule | "Player must be in opponent's half" (halfway-line rule) | 6 m shooting zone (from the baseline) | 6 m shooting zone |
| Goalkeepers | No | No (at 2v2/3v3); optional at 4v4/5v5 | No |
| Substitutes | None; every child plays the whole game | Rotation after every goal (G-Jugend) or every 3 min (F-Jugend) | Rotation built into the variants |
| Match officials | None; **Pitch Facilitators** self-officiate | Trainers act as joint match supervisors | None |
| Parents/spectators | 3 m **Respect Line** (8 m if pitch backs onto another) | Minimum distance to the pitch (often clubs use 15 m as house rule) | No specific distance |
| League tables | Not recorded | Not recorded (Festival format) | Not recorded |
| Match length | 6 to 10 min per game, 30 to 40 min total per child | 5×5 to 7×7 min (G) or 5×10 to 6×12 min (F) | 4×3 min standard |
| Match-day rituals | Rock-paper-scissors to start, high-five at the end, scoring team returns to goal line | Festival carousel: winning team moves up a pitch, losing team moves down | Wein-original "carousel" with rotation |
Three takeaways for the English coach. First, you only need to follow the FA FutureFit rules if you play in English grassroots leagues; the Wein/DFB four-goal version is a great training variant but not match-day rules. Second, the specific match-day rituals (rock-paper-scissors, high-five, **Pitch Facilitator** role) are FA inventions and unique to FutureFit. Third, the international comparison table further down adds France, USA and South America for context.
### Funino across the world
| Country | U7 format | U9 format | U11 format | Funino link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏴 England (FA FutureFit, from 26/27) | 3v3, no keepers, no officials | 5v5 | 7v7 | direct Funino logic, branded as "FutureFit" |
| 🇪🇸 Spain (RFEF, since 1993) | Fútbol 3 or 5 | Fútbol 7 (7v7) | Fútbol 7 (7v7) | Wein-Funino as official RFEF textbook, adopted by FC Barcelona |
| 🇩🇪 Germany (DFB, from 24/25) | 2v2 or 3v3 on 4 mini-goals | 3v3 or 4v4 or 5v5 | 4v4 or 5v5 or 7v7 | mandatory under the DFB name "3-gegen-3 mit 4 Minitoren" |
| 🇫🇷 France (FFF) | Foot à 5 (5v5) | Foot à 5 (5v5) | Foot à 8 (8v8) | indirect, no 3v3 stage but Saturday-morning plateau format |
| 🇺🇸 USA (US Soccer PDI, since 2017) | 4v4, no keepers | 7v7 with build-out line | 9v9 | related, no 3v3 stage |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil / 🇦🇷 Argentina | informal, often futsal or Baby-Fútbol | weakly formal | Futebol 7 or Baby-Fútbol | organic through futsal and street football |
Three consequences for the English coach. First, Funino is not a niche Spanish import or a German experiment; it is the international standard for under-9 football. Second, the FA's choice of one goal per end with a halfway-line shooting rule keeps the rule book simple, where the Wein-original used four mini-goals with a 6 m shooting zone. Both versions train perception, but the FA version is easier for volunteer Pitch Facilitators to officiate. Third, the festival format (multiple short matches in one session, no league table, with rotation) is the internationally established event shape for Funino-style competition. For the overall English reform context the [reform overview at /en/blog/youth-football-game-formats-2026](https://areacopa.com/en/en/blog/youth-football-game-formats-2026) goes into more depth.
## Why few players and a small pitch build game intelligence
Three players and a small pitch force every child to read the situation continuously. Memmert's six base tactics are trained in exactly this game form. As a fitness session, Funino fully replaces running work up to Under-11s.
Wein put it like this in 2011: "Because each team can score in two separate goals, the children's perception, reading of the game, tactical thinking and behaviour, plus their imagination and creativity are all trained" (p. 7186–7195). The FA's own FutureFit guidance (September 2025) reaches the same conclusion through different research: "3v3 encourages more physical activity and increases technical play. It means more touches on the ball, more playing time on the pitch for young players and more opportunity to develop their skills in a team setting." Both arguments rest on the same mechanism: fewer players plus a small pitch equals continuous decision-making.
Daniel Memmert (2011) validated six sport-spanning base tactics that travel with the format: *finding the target*, *moving the ball toward the target*, *combination play*, *exploiting gaps*, *beating defensive pressure*, *creating overload*. In 11v11 only a subset of these tactics is active per moment of play; in 3v3 on a small pitch, all six are in play at once.
In practice, an eight-year-old in a Funino game faces the same reading question six to eight times in two minutes: where is the open space? Where is my teammate moving? Pass or carry? In traditional 6v6 onto a single central goal the same player faces that question only two or three times across the whole session. Repetition is the actual mechanism.
### Funino as a conditioning session
This question always comes up in the coaches' room after the third Funino session: *"Don't they need to do some actual running, without the ball?"* The sports-science answer is clear. Hoff, Wisloff, Engen, Kemi and Helgerud (2002) showed that small-sided games reach the same intensity as classic aerobic interval training, at 90 to 95 percent of maximum heart rate, with bouts of three to five minutes (cited in Schmoll, 2020, p. 615–621). The FA's FutureFit bout length of 6 to 10 minutes per match, with multiple matches per session, sits squarely in this range.
The implication for weekly planning: at Under-10 and Under-11 level you do not need a separate ball-free running session. 3v3 (and its 5v5 / 7v7 extensions) with a proper FutureFit carousel is itself the conditioning. Christian Kolodziej (FC Vaduz, German FA coach educator) summed it up at the 2018 International Coaches' Congress: "Pitch size, number of players and bout duration are the loading variables for reaching different work intensities." If you want more running, push the pitch toward the FA upper bound (15 by 20 metres); if you want more acceleration and change of direction, keep it small at the recommended 10 by 15 metres (Casamichana, Bradley & Castellano, 2018, cited in Gualtieri, 2025).
One important caveat. For pure sprint training, the format is less suitable. Dalen et al. (2019, cited in Gualtieri, 2025) measured a high-speed running distance of only 2.7 metres per minute in 4v4 on a 39-by-39-metre pitch, compared with 8.4 metres per minute in an official 11v11 match. If you specifically want sprint exposure at Under-10/11 level, combine 3v3 with short sprint sets at the top of the session. For Under-7s through Under-9s this is not the point anyway.
And on injury risk: Funino reduces by construction the long sprint phases that drive the bulk of hamstring strain injuries in older youth football. Small pitches do increase the number of accelerations and changes of direction, but at ages 6 to 11 with low body mass and modest speeds this is practically negligible. From Under-10 onward, a short six-minute dynamic warm-up before the first match covers the load.
## Pitch and kit in 2 minutes
Under FutureFit you need one goal per end, a 10 to 15 by 15 to 20 m pitch and bibs in two colours. Set-up takes two minutes. If you also run the Wein/DFB four-mini-goal variant for training, the kit list grows by four small goals.
For each FutureFit 3v3 match-day pitch you need:
- **One goal per end** at 120 × 75 cm (4 × 2.5 ft) recommended, maximum 150 × 90 cm (5 × 3 ft).
- **Pitch markings**: 10 × 15 m recommended, maximum 15 × 20 m. Lines or cone/flat markers both work. Grass or 3G.
- **One ball per pitch.** FA FutureFit 3v3 specifies Size 3 at 5 psi. The full ball-size progression across all youth age groups is in the tables below.
- **Bibs in two clearly distinguishable colours**. With six- to seven-year-olds high-contrast pairings (e.g. pink/black, yellow/blue) work better than red/blue.
- **A timekeeper's stopwatch** for the **Matchday Organiser**.
### FA FutureFit pitch and goal sizes across all age groups
| Age | Format | Pitch size | Goal size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under-7 | 3v3 | 15 × 10 m to 20 × 15 m | 4 × 2.5 ft (≈ 120 × 75 cm) |
| Under-8/9 | 5v5 | 27 × 18 m to 37 × 27 m | 12 × 6 ft |
| Under-10/11 | 7v7 | 46 × 27 m to 55 × 37 m | 12 × 6 ft |
| Under-12/13 | 9v9 | 64 × 37 m to 73 × 46 m | 16 × 7 ft |
| Under-14 | 11v11 | 82 × 46 m to 91 × 55 m | 21 × 7 ft |
| Under-15/16+ | 11v11 | 82 × 46 m to 100 × 64 m | 24 × 8 ft |
The notable change at Under-11 is that the smaller 7 × 7 format (and the smaller pitch) is retained for one extra year. Under-14 also moves to the full Size-5 ball one year earlier than before. Both decisions sit inside the FA's "keep children in smaller-sided formats for longer" principle.
### Ball-size progression across age groups (FA and DFB)
| Age | DFB (Reform 24/25) | FA (FutureFit 26/27) | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under-7 | Size 3 | Size 3 | ≈ 290 g | identical across both federations |
| Under-8/9 | Size 3 | Size 3 | ≈ 290 g | identical |
| **Under-10** | **Size 4** | **Size 3** | DFB 350 g, FA 290 g | DFB switches up earlier; FA keeps Size 3 because 7v7 is retained for one extra year |
| **Under-11** | **Size 4** | **Size 3** | DFB 350 g, FA 290 g | FA keeps Under-11 at Size 3 for the same reason |
| Under-12/13 | Size 4 | Size 4 | ≈ 350–390 g | identical |
| Under-14 | Size 5 | Size 5 | ≈ 410–450 g | FA moved from Size 4 to Size 5 in 2025 (was Size 4/5 split) |
| Under-15/16+ | Size 5 | Size 5 | ≈ 410–450 g | full adult ball |
For the Wein/DFB four-mini-goal variant (useful as a training-day variation, not for FutureFit match days):
- Four mini-goals each 2 × 1 m, plus eight cones to mark the 6 m shooting zones.
- A bigger pitch: 20 × 27 m for the standard variant, smaller for younger players.
No goals at all? Build them from cones or poles. Wein writes (2011, p. 7106) that if the position of the goals shifts during play, the referee allows a goal even if the ball crosses the line where the goal originally stood. That removes the panic about kit.
A practical lever for the coach: pitch size sets intensity. At the FA's 10 × 15 m end of the range you get very tight spaces, many touches per minute, lots of acceleration. Good for the first few weeks of the season when children are learning the format. At 15 × 20 m you get more running and more separation between teams. Good for the second half of the season once children are fitter.
For league-day logistics: plan at least four weeks before your first home day under the new format. Source the goals, mark the pitches, recruit and brief **Pitch Facilitators** (one per pitch), and run a parents' meeting where you explain the format. The full event-day logistics are in the [tournament organisation quick guide](https://areacopa.com/en/en/blog/organize-football-tournament-quick-guide).
## The FutureFit / Funino stages model from Under-4 to Under-18
Under FutureFit, Under-4s to Under-6s sit in a Play Phase (no formal format), Under-7s play 3v3, Under-8s and Under-9s play 5v5, Under-10s and Under-11s play 7v7, Under-12s and Under-13s play 9v9, and Under-14s upward play 11v11. The FA also offers a separate 5v5 Futsal track for older players. The transition runs cohort-by-cohort from 2026/27 to 2029/30.
The FA's FutureFit framework (2025) sets the following long-term progression for English grassroots:
| Age group | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under-4 to Under-6 | **Play Phase** | Informal, no formal format. Focus on movement, ball-feel, fun. |
| **Under-7s** | **3v3, no keeper, no officials, no subs** | The FutureFit entry format. 10 × 15 m to 15 × 20 m pitch, one goal per end (120 × 75 cm). 6 to 10 min per game, 30 to 40 min total per child. |
| Under-8s/9s | **5v5 with keeper** | Standard grassroots dimensions. |
| Under-10s/11s | **7v7 with keeper** | Standard grassroots dimensions. |
| Under-12s/13s | **9v9** | Standard grassroots dimensions. |
| Under-14s+ | **11v11** | Full adult format. |
| Parallel, all ages | **5v5 Futsal** | The FA offers Futsal as a separate competitive track alongside grass football. |
### Cohort-by-cohort transition: what your team plays each season
The FA does not flip the whole system in one go. Instead each format stays with its cohort for one extra year so the children experience a gentler change. The U7s of 2026/27 are the first to play 3v3; the U9s of 2026/27 stay at 5v5 one year longer than they would have done. By 2029/30 the new structure is in steady state.
| Age | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | 2026/27 (mandatory) | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 (steady state) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U7 | 5v5 | 5v5 | **3v3** | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 |
| U8 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 |
| U9 | 7v7 | 7v7 | **5v5** | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 |
| U10 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 |
| U11 | 9v9 | 9v9 | **7v7** | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 |
| U12 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 |
| U13 | 11v11 | 11v11 | **9v9** | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 |
| U14+ | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 |
The bold cells mark the format changes from the previous season. 2025/26 is the FA's Early Adopter Programme year, where leagues can opt into the new structure one season ahead of the mandatory roll-out.
For comparison, Germany's DFB reform (booklet 09/2024) flipped the whole system in one go for the 2024/25 season and allows more granular variants in the middle band: 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5 at Under-8 and Under-9, with rotation every three minutes by whistle. The FA chose the simpler single 5v5 stage for Under-8s and Under-9s, and chose a four-season transition instead of a hard switch.
Three rule features apply across all FutureFit stages:
1. **No league tables.** "Results and scores are not recorded. Games are competitive but the result is not the focus" (FA FutureFit framework, 2025).
2. **No substitutes.** Every child plays the whole game. With multiple short matches per session, time on the pitch is shared by playing more games rather than by subbing in and out.
3. **Self-officiating.** "Games are supported by Pitch Facilitators with players empowered to self-officiate" (FA framework). This is the single most important coaching shift: Pitch Facilitators ask questions and ensure fair play, but do not whistle for fouls.
## Under-7s: the FutureFit 3v3 format in practice
At Under-7 level the child first learns that football happens with teammates, not in a swarm around the ball. 3v3 with one goal per end and the halfway-line shooting rule is the dedicated entry format under FutureFit. Match-day rituals (rock-paper-scissors to start, high-five at the end, scoring team returns to its goal line) build the spirit of the game.
The most important pedagogical step at Under-7 is breaking the swarm reflex. A six-year-old sees the ball, the whole team runs to the ball, one player kicks it, everyone follows. The 3v3 format dismantles this by design. With only three players per team and a small pitch, the task share is unavoidable: one goes to the ball, two find space. The learning curve in the first three sessions is striking, because the task is so clear.
The FA FutureFit *Playing Rules for 3v3* (Early Adopter Guidance, September 2025) set out the full match-day rules:
1. **Rock-paper-scissors** decides who starts the game.
2. The game starts and ends with a **high five**.
3. At restarts (goal line, corners, sidelines, free kicks) players can dribble or pass; opposition stays at least 3 m away.
4. For goal-line restarts, opposition players retreat to their own half.
5. **A player must be in the opponent's half for a goal to count.**
6. After a goal, all players from the scoring team return to their own goal line.
7. The conceding team restarts with a goal-line restart.
8. **No goalkeepers and no penalty areas.** Any free kick must be at least 3 m from the goal.
9. **No match officials.** Games are supported by Pitch Facilitators with players empowered to self-officiate.
10. **No substitutes.** Every child plays the whole game.
The key Under-7 coaching cues:
- **Ask questions, don't give instructions.** When a child runs alone at goal: "Where is your teammate?" rather than "Pass it!" Wein's original principle: "Instead of giving the children fish, show them how to fish." The FA Pitch Facilitator role is built around exactly this.
- **Parents at the 3 m Respect Line.** Under FutureFit, the Respect Line sits 3 m from the touchline (8 m if the pitch backs onto another pitch). Parents close to the touchline override children's own reading of the situation.
- **Take the match-day rituals seriously.** Rock-paper-scissors to decide kick-off, high-five to start and end the game, every player back to the goal line after their team scores. These rituals are not decoration; they are how the children take ownership of the match.
A trap to watch: with no substitutes, a 6 to 10-minute game can become lopsided if one team has stronger players. The FA solution is the carousel: at the end of each game, the bibbed team rotates to the next pitch while the non-bibbed team stays. Pitch Facilitators can also suggest player swaps between teams between games to keep competitive balance.
## Under-8s and Under-9s: the 5v5 stage
Under-8 and Under-9 are the consolidation years. Under FutureFit, both age groups play 5v5 with a keeper. The new task: real positional play in a front/middle/back stagger, while keeping the ball-touch density that 3v3 built.
After the dedicated 3v3 year, Under-8s and Under-9s step up to 5v5 with a goalkeeper. The FA FutureFit framework keeps this stage at 5v5 for both age groups (no intermediate 4v4; that is a DFB-only stage).
The Under-8/9 bracket is the most important learning corridor across the whole youth path. Wein devoted an entire book section to eight- and nine-year-olds and wrote (2011, p. 657–660): "Mini-football on four goals and its many variations is, for eight- and nine-year-olds, a perfectly tailored competition that meets all their wants and expectations." The FA framework reaches the same conclusion through different rule design.
In the training week, a clear season progression works well even though league matches are 5v5:
- **Weeks 1–8 (autumn):** 3v3 sessions to consolidate the Under-7 learning. Use either the FA one-goal layout or the Wein four-goal layout for training; the coaching is the same.
- **Weeks 9–18 (winter/spring):** 5v5 as the main format (matches league setup). Optional with a keeper in one of the two small goals. The fifth player on the pitch introduces a new layer: stacking and depth, not only width.
- **Weeks 19 to end of season:** 5v5 with constraints (joker, mandatory pass) to deepen the team-play layer. Prepare for Under-10 transition.
Two 3v3-based training variants are unusually useful at this level. First the *joker variant*: a neutral player sits on the halfway line and always plays for the team in possession. The attacking team therefore always has a 4-vs-3 overload. This trains showing for the ball and exploiting gaps, without one team being structurally frustrated.
Second the *mandatory pass* variant: before any shot can count, all three teammates must have touched the ball. This forces team play and solves the classic "only the fastest child scores all the goals" problem that recurs at Under-8/9. Parents tend to love this variant, because their less assertive children get to the goal as well.
One trap at Under-8/9 level: the transition from 3v3 (Under-7) to 5v5 (Under-8) is methodologically the biggest single jump in the whole pathway. The two extra players introduce real team tactics for the first time, which can overwhelm eight-year-olds. The advice from the coach-education side: when the team plays 5v5, cut the coaching down to a maximum of two clear behavioural cues per session. "If you don't have the ball, drop back a few steps" is enough. More instructions are counter-productive. This is the FA Sport Lecturer line (Halemeier at the 2018 International Coaches' Congress, talking about the same principle): "Coaching is reduced and limited to targeted questions in the pauses."
## Under-10s and Under-11s: the 7v7 stage
Under-10 and Under-11 step up to 7v7 with a keeper under FutureFit. The format gets tactically complex for the first time. 5v5 training variations with mini-goals stay close to the Funino original; 7v7 with the Wein diamond bridges to the classic 11v11.
Under-10 and Under-11 is the bridge stage. Up to here the format has been all about game intelligence and ball touches; from now on real tactical jobs join the picture — staying staggered, finding depth, building from your own half. Wein extended this in *Spielintelligenz im Fußball* with a 7v7 diamond for eleven- and twelve-year-olds (p. 8825–8857): "Play 7-vs-7, initially without offside and then with: one goalkeeper, one sweeper, three midfielders and two strikers. Every five minutes all players swap their roles and positions."
The FA FutureFit framework (2025) keeps Under-10 and Under-11 at 7v7 for league play. Most clubs run 5v5 training variations during the week (several Funino variations with mini-goals) and 7v7 on match day. A typical training week split: Wednesday 5v5 with constraints, Friday 7v7 diamond as match preparation.
In the 5v5 mini-goal training variant, the central learning task is *the second line stepping up*. With five players, a front/middle/back stagger emerges by necessity. If you don't train it, you get five players in a line around the ball: the Under-8 pattern. Coaching cue: "If your teammate up front has the ball, take a step forward. If your teammate at the back has the ball, also take a step forward." That one rule changes the game more than any tactical explanation.
The 7v7 diamond variant is the first systematic step toward the classic team game. Wein chose the 1-1-3-2 formation (keeper, sweeper, three midfielders, two strikers) as the bridge because it has enough players to assign all roles, yet few enough that every child is directly involved in many actions per match. The rotation every five minutes (every child swaps position) is mandatory; otherwise the quickest players camp permanently in attack and the shyest get parked in goal.
A practical question for the Under-10/11 coach: when is the 7v7 block worth it if only twelve children are at training? Honest answer: at twelve, stay with 5v5 plus rotation. 7v7 works from sixteen children upward. Otherwise too much time is spent on the bench. For targeted dribbling work in this age bracket the [dribbling drills for Under-9s to Under-11s](https://areacopa.com/en/en/blog/dribbling-drills-u9-u10-u11) is the natural extension.
## Funino variations for the main session
Three game-form variations that should sit in every Funino coach's repertoire. Zone play trains positional awareness, the indoor adaptation works without mini-goals, the finishing variant trains goal-selection decisions. All three apply across every age band.
Three variants that belong in every Funino repertoire. They are independent of age format; the 3v3 base geometry stays, only one rule changes.
**Zone variant.** The pitch is split by a second line into two halves (parallel to the long side). Each team must keep at least one player in each zone. This breaks the swarm reflex by structural rule and trains positional awareness. Works from strong Under-7, mandatory at Under-10/11.
**Indoor adaptation.** Indoor pitch 15 by 20 metres, walls used as teammates (pass against the wall and pick the ball up again is allowed). Most Under-7/Under-8 clubs play half a year exclusively indoor in the British winter. The wall-pass element is methodologically valuable, because it forces an additional passing option: a child who desperately tries to dribble through learns quickly that the wall is also a teammate.
**Finishing variant.** One attacker with the ball at the centre, four defenders: one in front of each mini-goal (in the four-goal Wein training variant). Two defenders are "passive" (stand further off), two are "active" (stand close to their goal). The attacker has to read which two goals are open and shoot at one of them. A 30-second task you can drop into training as an activation phase. Wein calls this the key drill for goal-selection.
An honest aside: two Funino variants doing the rounds online are deliberately not in this guide. *"Funino with goal-position points"* (goals in harder-to-reach positions count double) turns game intelligence into a maths problem and overwhelms Under-7/Under-9 players. *"Funino with constantly shifting rules"* (the coach changes a rule every two minutes) makes for a good coach-education demo but is coaching overhead with no clear learning gain in the club environment. More is not always better.
## The five most common coach mistakes
Funino looks simple but has five classic traps that almost every new coach falls into at least once. Three are coaching reflexes carried over from senior football; two are organisational under-estimations.
**Mistake 1: Correcting instead of letting the children play.** If you stop play every three minutes to correct someone, there is no game flow. Wein wrote it this way in 2006 (fußballtraining 5+6/06): "A coach who corrects constantly during these phases just disrupts the learning and development process and adds unnecessary pressure." Children learn the game form by repetition and own experience, not by explanation. Let it run. In the break, ask what they noticed themselves. Under FutureFit, this is built into the Pitch Facilitator role.
**Mistake 2: Coaching to win, not to learn.** FutureFit is explicitly designed without league tables and without recording results. If you still think "today we have to win" you will build the team around your two strongest players and harm the other four. Wein's original warning: "Sadly, even at the youngest age groups on most pitches, winning is still in front of playing well."
**Mistake 3: Pitch too small.** This is a counter-intuitive trap because the FA recommends 10 × 15 m. The FA size is fine for Under-7 with 3v3, but if the team is older or stronger and the pitch stays at the minimum, the result is a scrum. Push toward 15 × 20 m (FA upper bound) once the children are comfortable with the format. Wein (2011, p. 6969) explicitly warned: "Many coaches tend to pick small or even too-tight pitches for small children."
**Mistake 4: Not briefing parents.** Parents who have not been briefed will stand at the touchline and shout instructions. Their children then stop listening to their own perception and listen to mum or dad. The FA FutureFit framework specifies a 3 m Respect Line (8 m if the pitch backs onto another pitch). Three minutes of explanation at a parents' meeting is enough. More on that in the next chapter.
**Mistake 5: Skipping the match-day rituals.** Rock-paper-scissors to decide kick-off, high-five to start and end, scoring team returns to its goal line: these are not optional. They are how children take ownership of the match without an adult whistle. A laminated rules card at the Pitch Facilitator's spot and a five-minute briefing for new helpers keeps the rituals consistent.
## What parents need to know about FutureFit and Funino
Five typical parent concerns about the FA's FutureFit programme (and the Funino format underneath it), with five answers that take ten minutes to explain. Plus a ready-to-send email template for the parents' meeting. Get this right once and the season has no further arguments.
The five most common parent concerns, in order of frequency at a typical English Under-7 parents' meeting:
1. **"No league table? My child wants to win!"** The FA's FutureFit framework deliberately removes league tables because the most important learning goal at this age is perception and success experience for all children, not winning. The FA framework states it plainly: "Results and scores are not recorded. Games are competitive but the result is not the focus." Parents usually understand the point after a single explanation, once they see that every child in a Funino session scores multiple goals themselves, rather than only the one striker.
2. **"Only one goal each end? That's not real football."** Under FutureFit the pitch has one goal per end, the same as in adult football, just smaller. Some training variants use four mini-goals (the Wein/DFB original) to force every child to read the pitch constantly: which goal is less well defended right now? That perception demand is the underlying didactic foundation of the format, but the FA chose the simpler single-goal layout to keep match-day rules clear.
3. **"Where is the goalkeeper? My child can't play in goal."** Under FutureFit 3v3 there is no goalkeeper by design. Six-year-olds constantly swap between goalkeeper and outfield roles anyway, and the dedicated goalkeeper position only really makes sense from Under-8 onward (when matches step up to 5v5 with a keeper). If your club genuinely needs a goalkeeper specialist, the dedicated work starts at Under-8.
4. **"My child is too small for Funino, they get swamped."** The exact opposite is what the evidence shows. Wein (2011, p. 7255–7257) explicitly documented that weaker players benefit most from the format: "Every child, including the weakest, is important." In classic 7v7 the weakest child touches the ball two or three times across a match; in 3v3 it is many times more. A child who cannot get involved because they lack touches gets exactly those touches in 3v3.
5. **"Why does my child play the whole game with no subs?"** Under FutureFit there are no substitutes; every child plays the whole game. Time on the pitch is shared by playing multiple matches per session (carousel format) rather than by subbing in and out. Each match is 6 to 10 minutes; total playing time per child sits between 30 and 40 minutes, up to 60. The rotation between pitches gives variety; the no-sub rule guarantees a child can never be "benched" by their coach.
### Email template for the parents' meeting
A template that works in the club environment. Adjust to your team, send by email or the WhatsApp parents' group once before the season starts:
```text
Dear parents,
From this season our Under-7s play under the FA's new FutureFit
framework. The format is called 3-vs-3, internationally known as
Funino. Three things are different from last year:
1. No league tables, no result announcements at the match day. All
teams play in a carousel of short games (6 to 10 minutes each), win
roughly equally across the day, and at the end every child gets a
small certificate.
2. Every child plays the whole game. There are no substitutes. Time
on the pitch is shared by playing more games rather than by subbing
in and out. Total playing time per child sits between 30 and 40
minutes, up to a maximum of 60.
3. No referees, no goalkeepers. Games are supported by Pitch
Facilitators who ask questions rather than blow a whistle. Children
self-officiate, which is how they take ownership of the match.
What we ask on match day: please stand at the 3 m Respect Line (FA
guidance), clap and cheer between games, and let the children play
without coaching shouts from the touchline. If you have questions,
catch me after the match day and I'll make time.
Thanks for your support.
Kind regards,
[name]
```
A final note: parents who are sceptical at the start usually become FutureFit converts once they have watched their own child play under the format for the first time. The effect of the format is what you see when you stop commenting on it.
## Running a Funino festival under FutureFit
A FutureFit match day is not a classic tournament with a group stage and final. It is a rotating session with multiple parallel 3v3 pitches and a carousel mechanic. Here is the short version; the full event logistics are in the tournament organisation quick guide.
To run a FutureFit match day you need three things: a venue with room for at least two to three parallel 3v3 pitches, one goal per pitch end, and a Matchday Organiser plus one Pitch Facilitator per pitch. The FA FutureFit framework specifies the carousel mode: "At the end of each game the white teams stay on the same pitch and the red teams move around the pitches." The result is new opponents for the rotating team every match and continuous variety across the session.
Match-day specifics from the FA Early Adopter Guidance (September 2025):
- **Game length**: 6 to 10 minutes per match. Common patterns: 6×6 = 36 min, 5×7 = 35 min, 4×8 = 32 min, 5×8 = 40 min.
- **Total playing time per child**: 30 to 40 minutes, maximum 60. No substitutes; every child plays the whole game.
- **Squad size on match day**: 6 to 12 players. Player numbers up to 32+ are accommodated by adding more parallel pitches with 3v3 or 3v2 / 2v2 splits.
- **Pitches**: minimum 3 m run-off between pitches, 6 m if no spectators are present, 8 m total spacing if a pitch backs onto another.
- **Adult roles**: Matchday Organiser (timekeeper, fixture-setter), Pitch Facilitator (one per pitch, supports player self-officiation), optional Pitch Assistants (ball retrieval). All on-pitch personnel need an in-date DBS check and a current safeguarding qualification (FA minimum ratio 1:6).
The full logistics, from kit checklist to volunteer briefing and the parents' email, are in the [organise a youth football tournament quick guide](https://areacopa.com/en/en/blog/organize-football-tournament-quick-guide); the Funino-specific rules and the hour-by-hour plan there are already built around the FA FutureFit linework. If you want to set up your own FutureFit match day without wrestling with spreadsheets, the easiest option is a tool like **AreaCopa**, which builds the carousel and pitch assignments automatically.
Funino is also the natural main phase after a kit-free warm-up. The [15-minute warm-up with no equipment](https://areacopa.com/en/en/blog/u11-warm-up-no-equipment) works for Under-7s through Under-11s alike.
[Set up your first FutureFit match day in five minutes](https://areacopa.com/en/tournaments/new?utm_source=agent&utm_medium=markdown&utm_campaign=funino-trainerleitfaden)
## Download the drill cards
Two printable PDFs to take to the pitch. **The checklist** is the one-page quick reference with the set-up bullets and all eight game-form variants as compact cue lists. Best if you already know the format and only need a memory aid.
**The workbook** is the twelve-page version with a pitch diagram on every card. One card per page, diagram in the middle, numbered coaching cues below. Clip it to your clipboard and you have shape and runs in front of you while you explain.
## Sources
**FA FutureFit (the official English rule book)**
- The Football Association (September 2025). *FutureFit 3v3 — Early Adopter Guidance.* London: The FA. Mandatory roll-out 2026/27.
- The Football Association (2025). *FutureFit: Playing Rules for 3v3.* London: The FA.
- The Football Association. *FutureFit programme page.* [futurefit.englandfootball.com](https://futurefit.englandfootball.com/futurefit/index.html).
**Primary Wein sources (FUNiño methodology)**
- Wein, Horst (2011). *Spielintelligenz im Fußball — kindgemäß trainieren.* 4th revised edition. Aachen: Meyer & Meyer.
- Wein, Horst (2006). "Mehr Spielintelligenz!" In: *fußballtraining* 5+6/2006, pp. 56–62.
- Wein, Horst (2004). *Developing Youth Football Players.* Reedswain.
**Other federation rule books**
- Deutscher Fußball-Bund (Stand 09/2024). *Wettbewerbsformen im Kinderfußball.* Frankfurt am Main: DFB.
- Real Federación Española de Fútbol (2025). *Bases de competición 2025/26.* Madrid: RFEF.
**Sports-science evidence (game intelligence, conditioning, load)**
- Memmert, Daniel (2011). *Vermittlung von Spielfähigkeit.*
- Schmoll, Simon (2020). *Athletiktraining im Nachwuchsfußball.* MA dissertation, University of Potsdam. (Cites Hoff, Wisloff, Engen, Kemi & Helgerud 2002 on HRmax thresholds in small-sided games.)
- Gualtieri, Antonio (2025). *High-Speed Running and Sprinting in Football.* PhD thesis. (Cites Dalen et al. 2019 and Casamichana, Bradley & Castellano 2018 on load modulation in SSGs.)
**Lochmann / University of Erlangen (Wettkampfsystem 4.0)**
- Akdag, Murat; Poimann, Dino; Czyz, Titus; Lochmann, Matthias (2016a). *The Impact of Competition Mode and Coaching on Physical Load in Youth Football.* In: 6th International Teaching Games for Understanding Conference × 10th dvs Sport-Spiel Symposium 2016, Cologne. Hamburg: Feldhaus Czwalina, vol. 258, p. 179.
- Akdag, Murat; Poimann, Dino; Czyz, Titus; Lochmann, Matthias (2016b). *The Impact of Competition Mode and Coaching on the Amount of Actions in Youth Football.* Same volume, p. 178.
- Lochmann, Matthias (2015). *Wettkampfsystem 4.0 — structural innovations for the long-term competitiveness of German football.* Annual conference of the dvs commission for football 2015, Erlangen.
**Other international federations (state of play 2025/26)**
- Fédération Française de Football (2025). *Foot Animation U7/U9/U11 rule documents 2025/26.*
- US Soccer (2017). *Player Development Initiatives.* Small-sided standards since August 2017.
**Industry data (small-sided games, ball touches)**
- FRANdata (2024). *Small-Sided Soccer: Final Updated Report.* Industry measurement of ball touches in 4v4 vs. 11v11.
---
Source: https://areacopa.com/en/blog/futurefit-funino-coaching-guide