Youth Football Game Formats 2026: Overview for Coaches and Club Officials

You are a youth coordinator. This season you have to explain to parents, coaches and pitch supervisors how youth football, or soccer as it is known in North America, now works for the youngest age groups: why there are now four goals instead of two, why no league table is kept in G and F youth, why a player is substituted after every goal, and why your six-year-old suddenly plays 2v2 instead of 7v7. Perhaps the first match day in the new format is already coming up, perhaps you have to take a position at the next parent evening. You need an overview that sticks.

This article gives you exactly that. You get a breakdown of the DFB game formats for G youth (U6/U7), F youth (U8/U9) and E youth (U10/U11), the reasoning behind the reform, a FAQ section for parent evenings and a four-step transition plan for your club. They have been binding since the 2024/25 season; 2026 stands for the current editions of the rules (DFB Youth Regulations of 21 August 2026, DFB guide of 5 March 2026).

What has changed: the DFB children's football reform

The DFB Congress officially confirmed the new game formats for children's football on 11 March 2022, after the DFB Youth Congress had confirmed the recommendation of the youth committee in January 2022. A two-year pilot phase was followed by a transition period until summer 2024, in which the state FAs were only recommended the formats. Since the 2024/25 season they have been binding across Germany, so in 2026 the reform is the standard.

The state FAs implement the DFB rules differently, and the DFB guide itself points this out. In part markedly: Bavaria plays 3v3 on about 20 by 30 metres, Südbaden has G youth play with a goalkeeper on goals 4 metres wide, Rheinland plays G youth only as 3v3, Württemberg has no promotion and relegation in G and F (evidence below).

Each age group has several format options that the club chooses from within the framework of its state FA:

• G youth (U6/U7): 2v2 or 3v3 on four mini-goals, no goalkeeper, festival format, no championship round.
• F youth (U8/U9): 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5, on four mini-goals or two small-sided goals. Festival format with promotion and relegation between pitches, still no championship round.
• E youth (U10/U11): 4v4, 5v5, 6v6 or 7v7. The smaller formats on mini-goals without a goalkeeper or on small-sided goals with a goalkeeper, 7v7 on two small-sided goals with a goalkeeper. Festival, tournament or, depending on the state FA, league.

For D youth (U12/U13) the Youth Regulations (Annex IV, Part 2) recommend championship matches in 7v7, 8v8 or 9v9; whether there is a table is up to the state FA. From C youth (U14/U15) the Youth Regulations also allow 11v11 on a full-size pitch; whether it is the rule is up to your state FA. Classic competition with a table is excluded in G and F youth, possible in E youth depending on the state FA, and the rule from D youth.

Why the reform: four problems the old system had

The DFB bases the first three points on its 2022 FAQ, and the BFV names the fourth as an aim. Understanding this lets you explain the reform even to the sceptical club colleague.

1. Too few ball contacts per child. In 7v7 slower and less talented children hardly get to the ball, according to the DFB. A player who does not touch the ball learns nothing. The smaller the groups, the more ball contacts each individual has: that is the DFB's main argument.

2. League tables and result pressure too early. The DFB wants to minimise performance pressure. Six-year-olds do not understand standings. Coaches and parents do, and that is exactly the problem. In my view: where there is a table, teams play to win, the weaker player stays on the bench, the stronger one becomes the focal point. The festival format without a championship round removes that pressure.

3. Too complex for the age group. According to the DFB FAQ, tactics were emphasised too early in children's football. Seven teammates, two large goals, a goalkeeper, tactical shifting movements: six- to eight-year-olds can copy this, but they hardly understand it. A game format with a clear task (four goals, two teammates, find the gap) matches the age group.

4. Children stop playing. In its game concept the BFV names lowering the dropout rate as an aim. Why puberty costs talent and how to retain it is covered in our talent development guide. My argument: a child who is substituted on for the third time and then never receives the ball loses interest. More ball contacts and no focus on the table are meant to change exactly that.

Anyone who explains it this way at a parent evening has already won half the discussion.

G youth (U6/U7): 2v2 or 3v3 with four mini-goals

The G youth game formats are the most radical change compared with the old system. Instead of structured games with coach guidance there is a festival format with minimal adult involvement.

Pitch and goals. Several small pitches in parallel: in 2v2 approximately 16 by 20 metres, in 3v3 approximately 25 by 20 metres. Per pitch four mini-goals (two per team to defend), maximum 2 by 1.2 metres. Anyone without mini-goals marks them with cones or poles. No goalkeeper and no penalty kick: fouls in the own shooting zone are punished with a penalty attack, and corners are dribbled or passed in.

Shooting zone. In 2v2 the halfway line is the shooting zone, goals only count if a player shoots the ball from the opposing half. In 3v3 a 6-metre shooting zone applies in front of the goals. This ends goal-sprinting. Anyone who wants to score must bring the ball into the right zone with composure.

Playing time and rotation. In 2v2 up to seven rounds of maximum 5 minutes each, in 3v3 seven rounds of 7 minutes each, with three minutes' rest in between. Rotation after every goal or at the latest after 2 minutes: each team substitutes one player in a pre-agreed order. Maximum one rotation player in 2v2, maximum two in 3v3. This gives every child roughly equal playing time, and the stronger child cannot stay on the pitch for the whole match. Distributing playing time fairly in youth football shows four age-appropriate models and seven difficult cases from everyday club life.

Festival format. On a match day several pitches stand side by side, ranked from "weakest" to "strongest". After each round the winner moves up one pitch, the loser moves down one pitch. On a draw the team that scored the last goal moves up; in the rare case of a 0-0 result rock-paper-scissors decides. This way teams of similar strength meet over time.

What parents often misunderstand. Parents watch a G youth festival and think it is not "real football". It is exactly that: football for six-year-olds is not what adults experience as football. It is a motor and social learning format that leads into classic football, the full-sided soccer adults picture, later on. Not keeping a table in G youth has not taken anything away from the children; it has spared them pressure.

F youth (U8/U9): three possible formats

In F youth there is genuine choice for the first time. The club chooses from three formats, depending on squad size and development level.

Format 1: 3v3 without a goalkeeper. Pitch approximately 25 by 20 metres (the 2022 DFB FAQ gives 26 to 28 by 20 to 22 metres), four mini-goals, 6-metre shooting zone as in G youth. Up to seven rounds of maximum 10 minutes each, rotation after every goal or at the latest after 2 minutes. Clear DFB recommendation: the preferred format in F youth because every child gets the most ball actions.

Format 2: 4v4. Pitch approximately 40 by 25 metres, either on four mini-goals with four outfield players or on two small-sided goals with three outfield players plus goalkeeper (3+1). Transition step between 3v3 and 5v5. Rotation after every goal, at the latest after 2 minutes according to the Youth Regulations; the DFB guide and the BFV Oberbayern give 3 minutes by whistle.

Format 3: 5v5. Pitch approximately 40 by 25 metres, either on four mini-goals with five outfield players without a goalkeeper or on two small-sided goals with four outfield players plus goalkeeper. Transition format to E youth, rotation as in 4v4.

Playing time, mode and fairness rule. In 3v3 up to seven rounds of maximum 10 minutes each, in 4v4 and 5v5 six rounds of 10 to 12 minutes, longer than in G youth. Three minutes' rest between rounds. In G and F the DFB prescribes the festival format with promotion and relegation between pitches; federations such as Niedersachsen, Rheinland or Württemberg also allow match days with a fixed schedule. Still no championship round. A fairness variant from the DFB guide: if one team leads by 3 goals the trailing team may bring an additional player onto the pitch until the score is balanced again.

Funino as conceptual heritage. The 3v3 format with four mini-goals goes back to the German-born Horst Wein, who worked for a long time in Spain and described the game in his 2004 booklet as "mini football"; the name Funino caught on later. The DFB rulebook (Youth Regulations, guide, FAQ) contains no "Funino"; it says "3-versus-3 on four mini-goals". In its Trainingsphilosophie Deutschland the DFB uses the name for exercises. The practical training details are in the Funino coaching guide: eight game-format variations, coaching cues and a parent-email template for the parent evening.

Why four goals. In Wein's concept play with two goals concentrates in the centre of the pitch, and the strongest player runs straight through. With four goals the attacker has to decide: left or right? Which goal is less defended? The DFB names space distribution and switching play as the aim; perception and decision-making are the rationale of the Funino method.

Anyone looking for training content that fits the 3v3 logic will find concrete drills per age group in the article on dribbling drills for U9, U10, U11.

E youth (U10/U11): 5v5 or 7v7

In E youth the classic format feeling returns for the first time. Goalkeeper, two small-sided goals, first team tactics. But with a continuing reformative approach: rotation, balanced fixtures, depending on the state FA festival format.

Format 1: 4v4 or 5v5. Same dimensions and logic as in F youth (approximately 40 by 25 metres). On four mini-goals without a goalkeeper or on small-sided goals with a goalkeeper. Six rounds of 10 to 12 minutes, in the festival rotation every 3 minutes by central whistle, the goalkeeper changes after every round.

Format 2: 7v7. Pitch 55 by 35 metres, six outfield players plus goalkeeper, two small-sided goals, maximum 5 by 2 metres. In a league match with two teams 4 times 15 or 2 times 25 minutes; the rotation players each play 7 minutes on the side pitch and then change into the 7v7. In 7v7 children introduce the ball after it goes out for the first time with a throw-in, in Bavaria with a kick-in or dribble-in. Which throw-in rules apply, which faults come up most often and how to train the technique are covered in a separate article.

What happens to players on the bench. An important innovation of the reform: in 7v7 substitute players do not sit on the bench but play 2v2 or 3v3 in parallel on a side pitch with mini-goals. This means every child gets continuous playing time instead of waiting to be substituted on. The DFB guide gives at least 75 percent playing time per child as a benchmark. Logistically this requires a second set-up and a second helper.

What carries over from G and F youth. In the festival E youth rotates after 3 minutes by central whistle; as in F youth, the fixed order applies after goals. Depending on the state FA there are also tournaments and league matches; the Youth Regulations name both. Focus stays on 1v1, lots of dribbling and ball contacts.

What is new. Goalkeeper role (the goalkeeper changes after every round), first passing geometry and shifting movements, simple team tactics ("when we have the ball, we make the pitch wide"). But: still a focus on 1v1, still plenty of dribbling. E youth is not a miniaturised professional game but a learning stage.

Warm-up drills suited to E youth that need no equipment are in the article on warm-up drills for U11 without aids.

How it continues. The DFB sets the playing time: 2 times 30 minutes in D youth up to 2 times 45 in A youth; for G to E it is in Annex IV. All age groups are in the overview of youth football match length by age group.

What changes for training content

The game formats are one thing, training content another. Anyone who has players competing in 3v3 with four goals cannot train classic 11v11 tactics in sessions. The reform forces an adjustment of training content, and this is exactly where it easily fails.

More 1v1, less team tactics. In small-sided formats almost every goal is decided by 1v1. My suggestion: spend a third to half of training time on 1v1 or 1v2 situations. You do not need shifting movements and pressing lines before D youth.

Dribbling and passing as the focus. Whoever can keep the ball wins in 3v3. Whoever cannot loses. Dribbling drills, passing drills under pressure, small-sided games with opposition are the building blocks. Frontal instruction without opposition is the exception.

Implications for coach training. As youth coordinator you must ensure that your coaches know what fits the new formats and what does not. I recommend at least one internal training session per season, ideally before the season starts. If your G youth coach is still trying 9v9 tactics with six-year-olds, the reform becomes an administrative exercise rather than an improvement.

Cones, mini-goals and training bibs should be in every coach's equipment bag. As a club, invest where the real need lies: not in more large goals but in mini-goals, cones and pitch markings.

What you need to explain to parents and pitch supervisors

Parents and pitch supervisors see the new format on the touchline and ask questions. Here are the most common ones, with answers you can use at a parent evening or on the touchline.

"Why are there four goals?" So that the children have to make decisions. With two goals everyone runs to the centre and the fastest wins. With four goals the attacker has to look: which goal is open? The DFB names space distribution and switching play as the aim, and at this age that matters more than shooting power.

"Why is there no league table?" To remove the pressure. The DFB wants to minimise performance pressure. In my view the table motivates the parents, not the children, and it sorts out the weaker players because the coach has to play for a win. In G and F youth there is no championship round, so everyone plays.

"Why is a player substituted after every goal?" So that every child keeps playing throughout. Rotation is the reform's fairness mechanism: after every goal, or at the latest after 2 minutes, each team substitutes one player. This means no child can stay on the pitch for the whole match, and substitute players get active before they lose interest.

"Why are the playing times so short?" Because children at this age can concentrate only briefly at a time; the Youth Regulations provide for rounds of 5 to 12 minutes at most, with breaks. Short matches mean many intense phases and less dead time.

"My child is very talented; will they be challenged in this format?" Yes. In 3v3 with four goals the talented player gets more ball contacts than in 7v7, because the smaller the groups, the more ball contacts (DFB FAQ). In my view the reform develops top players and broad participation simultaneously because both play more. What disappears is status: the talented player is no longer automatically the star of the team but one of many who play.

These five answers cover the most common parent conversations. Further questions are answered by the DFB (kinderfussball(at)dfb.de) and your state FA.

Transition plan: how the switch succeeds in the club

As youth coordinator you are responsible for ensuring that the transition in your own club does not fail. Here is a four-step plan that should work in most clubs.

Step 1: Check state FA implementation regulations. The state FAs deviate markedly in part: in pitch sizes, playing times, rotation rules and in whether there are tables. Download the current implementation regulations of your state FA, read them all the way through once, and clearly distinguish between the DFB framework (binding for G to E, recommended for D) and the state FA detail. If anything is unclear, ask the competition manager.

Step 2: Organise coach training. I recommend at least one internal training session per season, ideally before the season starts. Content: what are the new formats, what does a training session look like, what are typical beginner mistakes. If you have no internal presenter for this, ask your state FA about training sessions.

Step 3: Parent evening with a clear message. Before the first match day of the new season. One hour is enough. Content: what is new, why, what does it look like. Use the answers from the previous section as a basis. Meet parents where they are, take their concerns seriously, but hold your position. A parent evening that goes well saves you arguments on the touchline for the whole season. If you also want to communicate the scouting training plan, this guide to scouting sessions in youth football is a good companion article to pass on.

Step 4: Adapt home-match operations. In concrete terms: acquire or build mini-goals, adjust pitch markings, brief pitch supervisors, plan side pitches for substitute players. The DFB does not provide for referees: the children decide on the pitch themselves, coaches and supervisors accompany them. Pitch supervisors (often parents) still need a briefing: goals count only from the shooting zone, no offside, both teams rotate after every goal. I would plan this transition at least four weeks before the first home match day.

Once these four steps are in place you have done the most important part. In my view the greatest resistance comes from the adults, and steps 2 and 3 address exactly that.

Organising game formats, and when a tournament tool helps

A G or F youth match day involves different effort than a classic tournament with a table. For indoor matches the DFB Futsal Regulations (§ 38) prescribe framework conditions for all age groups, without boards; from D youth the futsal rules apply. Details in the futsal practical guide for youth coaches.

Multiple pitches in parallel. Three to five pitches side by side, ranked from "weakest" to "strongest". Per pitch two teams, then promotion or relegation depending on the result. This is organisationally simpler than it sounds: one set-up, one schedule, one shared whistle at the end of each round (in 3v3 that is every seven minutes). The key is that all pitches kick off simultaneously and change pitches simultaneously, otherwise waiting time builds up.

Festival scoring instead of a table. Each team plays on various pitches over the course of the day, depending on promotion and relegation. The DFB does not record results, there are no tables; federations such as the wfv expressly do not play out champions. The children receive a badge or a certificate at the end saying "you played today".

Playing time and rotation. Matches last a maximum of 5 minutes in 2v2, 7 minutes in 3v3 (10 in F youth), up to 12 minutes in 4v4 or 5v5, with three minutes' rest for the change in between. Rotation in G and F youth after every goal or at the latest after 2 minutes, in the E youth festival after 3 minutes by whistle.

What you prepare as organiser. Mini-goals (home-made, borrowed or marked with cones), clearly marked pitches and a schedule. In addition: a pitch supervisor per pitch, a central whistle for the change signal, a drinks station and badges or certificates for all children. In E youth 7v7 a side pitch for substitute players is added. Parent refreshments should be separate from the pitch so that children are not caught between sausages and the match.

When a tournament tool becomes worthwhile. In pure festival mode (G youth and small F youth) no classic tournament tool is needed: the schedule arises from promotion and relegation, there is no table. As soon as the format switches to a tournament with a fixed schedule, administration quickly becomes demanding. This is provided for in E youth (tournament form, league play), in G and F only in federations that allow match days with a fixed schedule, and applies to D youth 9v9 just as much as to classic 11v11. A schedule spanning several hours, a points table with tiebreaker rules, semi-final draws, waiting times between matches: this is where a tool like AreaCopa helps, because schedule, table and sorting logic can no longer be managed in your head or via a spreadsheet.

A detailed step-by-step guide for setting up a classic tournament, from 5v5 to 11v11, is in the football tournament checklist with a 12-week timeline.

For the organisational side, schedule, table and live link by age group, head to the youth tournament schedule app.

Concrete schedule modes for 5, 7 and 10 teams are in the article schedules for 5, 7 or 10 teams.

Anyone building a girls' section alongside the reform transition in their club will find a 6-month roadmap including player recruitment, coach search and a 12-point self-audit for club standards in the guide founding a girls' team.

Sources

Game formats, pitch sizes, playing times and rotation come from the DFB Youth Regulations and the DFB guide, the deviations from the regulations of the state FAs. The 70 × 50 m for D youth in the diagram come from the DFB training recommendation on 9v9.

1. Deutscher Fußball-Bund (as of 21 August 2026). Jugendordnung, § 8, § 8a and Annex IV: Bestimmungen für Spiele auf Kleinfeld (G-, F- und E-Junioren/Juniorinnen) und auf verkleinertem Spielfeld (D-Junioren/Juniorinnen). Source for game formats, pitch sizes, goal and ball sizes, playing duration and rotation of G to E youth (Part 1, binding since 2024/25) and for the recommended game formats of D youth (Part 2).
2. Deutscher Fußball-Bund (as of 5 March 2026). Leitfaden für die Implementierung neuer Wettbewerbsformen in den Altersklassen U6-U11 and Kinderfußball: Spielformen in G-, F- und E-Jugend. Source for the course of the festivals, rotation, restarts and 7v7.
3. Deutscher Fußball-Bund (31 May 2022). FAQ zu den neuen Spielformen im Kinderfußball. Source for the rationale of the reform, the decision of the Bundesjugendtag (January 2022) and the DFB-Bundestag (11 March 2022) and the transition period until summer 2024.
4. Wein, H. (2004). Entwicklung der Spielintelligenz im Fußball. Ed. Peter Schreiner, Institut für Jugendfußball, 1st edition, ISBN 3-927570-60-5. Conceptual model of 3v3 with four mini-goals ("Mini-Fußball", today mostly "Funino").
5. Deutscher Fußball-Bund. Trainingsphilosophie Deutschland. Source for the use of the term "Funino" in the DFB training recommendations.

Concrete values are in the regulations of your state FA, for example at the BFV (Oberbayern), the wfv, the NFV, the FVR, the SFV and the SBFV.