Table of Contents
- How many players on a youth soccer team?
- Are all youth leagues the same?
- Kids’ soccer team player chart
- Why are there fewer players on a youth soccer team?
- At what age do kids start playing 11-a-side soccer?
- Recap: How many players on a youth soccer team?
Youth soccer has exploded in interest across the United States, and for good reason. Parents feel it’s a great form of exercise for youngsters and much safer than other, more traditionally popular sports in North America.
Before signing your child up for a youth soccer team, you’ve probably got a few questions you want to be answered. Firstly: how many players actually participate on a youth soccer team?
We’ll explain exactly why there is a specific amount of players on certain aged teams and the intricate details involved with what coaches face in their selection choices.
How many players on a youth soccer team?
The number of players on a youth soccer team varies depending on the age of the children.
For example, US Youth Soccer (USYS) guidance recommends that coaches of teams in the under-6 age category shall field no more than four players. In this format, there should be no goalkeepers.
The suggested number of players on each side increases with age, so when kids reach the under-7 or under-8 level, the number of players on the field at any time is permitted to be no more than four (once again, no goalkeepers are recommended at this level).
Goalkeepers are introduced at the under-9 and under-10 age range, where coaches can field up to seven players on a team.
Once children are eligible for under-11s and under-12s soccer, the recommended number of players on a team increases to eight.
It isn’t until the under-13 level that eleven players on the field per side, the amount at the adult professional grade, is recommended.
Of course, games that are specifically run as 5- and 7-a-side, for example, will have fewer players on the pitch. These games are frequently run by different governing bodies and not necessarily under the jurisdiction of USYS.
Are all youth leagues the same?
It isn’t typical for states to conduct operations differently to the guidelines that are suggested by USYS because of their licensing agreement with the national organization.
Each state has its own primary soccer organizer, except New York, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania, which have two each.
Their task is to make sure there is conformity to US Youth Soccer (the national body for youth soccer in the USA) recommendations.
While you will see the occasional game carried out with its own unique set of rules (5-a-side and 7-a-side soccer games do this frequently), it’s not advised for this to be the case for a game carried out under the state, and therefore US Youth Soccer, flagship.
Kids’ soccer team player chart
Each age ranges has different recommendations for how many players are allowed on each side.
We have compiled the below table below of how many players are eligible to be on the field at any time during games under the regulation of USYS:
| Age Group | Maximum number of players permitted |
| Under 6 | 4 on each team, although 3 is recommended by USYS (No goalkeepers) |
| Under 7 – Under 8 | 5 on each team, although 4 is recommended by USYS (No goalkeepers) |
| Under 9 – Under 10 | 7 on each team, although 6 is recommended by USYS |
| Under 11 – Under 12 | 11 on each team, although 8 is recommended by USYS |
| Under 13 > | 11 on each team |
There is also a maximum length of time each age group can play too; for example, it’s suggested that children under the age of six play four quarters, each quarter lasting six minutes. It isn’t until the under-17 level that players will contest games of two 45-minute halves.
The size and weight of the ball being played, whether overtime is permitted or not, and the size of the goalframes being used are also different depending on the age bracket in which the game is taking place within.
Why are there fewer players on a youth soccer team?
The main reason for fewer players on a youth team is that the pitch size is reduced due to children’s bodies not being fully developed yet.
It would be unfair to ask small children to participate in 11 vs 11 games on a full-sized field, hence the guidelines implemented by USYS and other governing bodies.
On smaller fields, it would be too chaotic and small of a space to have the same amount of people playing as there is in the professional game.
It’s designed to help the development of children by initially playing on small fields, then gradually increasing the pitch’s measurements and number of players involved as the children get older.
One report found that the decreased field size, and the subsequently reduced number of participants, was a contributing factor to the tactical awareness of young players improving over the years.
At what age do kids start playing 11-a-side soccer?
In the USA, children start playing with eleven members on each team at the age of 13. Technically, coaches can field a maximum of eleven players on a side from the under-11 age group upwards, but it’s not recommended to do so until the under-13 age range.
As we know, teams continue to play with a maximum of eleven players on a field throughout the adult game, unless, of course, they are playing in a specifically designed 5- or 7-a-side league.
Each country and national soccer governing body will have different ages that they begin playing with eleven players on a side.
FIFA has guidelines that its member states should aim to conform within, but it is often different depending on the law of each specific land.
Recap: How many players on a youth soccer team?
It’s essential that coaches, referees, and state organizers stay aware of the recommendations that USYS.
Beyond the officials and management teams, parents and children alike want to know how many players will be featured on their team and that of their opponents.
Now that you know how many players can be involved in a game at each level, you can encourage your children to get involved in the beautiful game, and harness and develop their skills on the pitch within the appropriate format.
Keen to learn more about the number of players in a soccer team? Check out our recent article explaining how many players typically make up a soccer squad.