5, 7, 9 or 11-a-side: which format to choose for your match
How many players each format needs, what pitch it calls for, how much running it means and which group it suits: a general guide to choosing between 5, 7, 9 and 11-a-side.
“How many of us are there?” is the first question of any match, and everything else depends on the answer: the pitch you need to book, how the rent is split and how likely it is that the match falls through for lack of players. Picking the right format isn’t a technicality: it’s what makes the group come back next week.
This is a general guide. Pitch sizes vary a lot from one venue to another, so before booking always ask yours which formats it takes.
The basics of each format
| Format | On the pitch per team | Full match | With a bench, a good call-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-a-side | 4 outfield + goalkeeper | 10 | 12 to 14 |
| 7-a-side | 6 outfield + goalkeeper | 14 | 16 to 18 |
| 9-a-side | 8 outfield + goalkeeper | 18 | 20 to 22 |
| 11-a-side | 10 outfield + goalkeeper | 22 | 26 or more |
The bench column isn’t a rule: it’s what you usually need so a last-minute drop-out doesn’t leave a team short, and so nobody has to play the whole hour without a break unless they want to.
5-a-side: lots of touches, little space
Played on small artificial-turf pitches, often roofed or fenced in. As a reference they tend to be roughly 30 to 40 metres long, but they come in all sizes.
- Who it’s for: small groups, weeknight matches after work, people who want lots of touches on the ball.
- How it plays: the ball comes to you all the time. There’s little time to think, so the team that passes quickly and moves after passing wins.
- Watch out for: the goalkeeper. In such a short space a good keeper changes the match. If nobody wants to play in goal, agree on turns before kick-off.
7-a-side: the middle ground
Probably the most common format on the city’s artificial pitches. As a reference, these pitches tend to be roughly 50 to 65 metres long.
- Who it’s for: groups of 14 to 18 who want some tactics without needing 22.
- How it plays: there are clear positions (defenders, midfielders, a striker) and room to run down the wings. If you want to think about formations, read how to choose a formation for 7-a-side (Spanish).
- Watch out for: fatigue. An hour of 7-a-side takes it out of you; a bench helps keep the pace up.
9-a-side: for the group that grew
Many groups move to 9-a-side when 7 gets too small for them. It’s played on medium pitches or on adapted large pitches, and sizes vary a lot.
- Who it’s for: regular teams of 18 to 22, company or neighbourhood leagues.
- How it plays: closer to 11-a-side: you need to organize lines and cover the space behind the defence.
- Watch out for: the call-up. Getting 18 people together every week is exactly where chat groups start to fail. We have a guide to organizing a 9v9 match without the mess (Spanish).
11-a-side: the big match
The Laws of the Game allow pitches from 90 to 120 metres long and 45 to 90 metres wide, so here too every venue is different.
- Who it’s for: organized teams, tournaments and large groups that can count on 22 people or more.
- How it plays: the most demanding physically and tactically. Substitutions matter, and so does shape.
- Watch out for: cost and logistics. More people means more money to collect and more confirmations to chase.
Deciding in three questions
- How many are really in, every time? Don’t count the “maybe” players. If 10 are certain, the format is 5-a-side, even if the group has 30.
- Which pitch can you get at the time you can play? Sometimes the venue decides the format, not the group.
- What do you want from the match? Lots of touches and a good sweat (5), playing positions (7), or something close to the big match (9 and 11).
If you’re torn between two, start with the smaller one: it’s easier to move from 7 to 9 once the group settles than to keep a 9-a-side going when four are missing every week.
When the numbers don’t add up
If 13 confirm for a 7-a-side, there’s no need to cancel: you can play 6 against 6 with a rotating goalkeeper, or look for one or two extra players. That’s what having the list and confirmations in one place is for.
In PARCHUP you pick the format when you create the match (5v5 to 11v11), you see how many spots are left and, if someone is missing, you can look for goalkeepers and players who marked themselves available nearby. See how it works or enter the beta and create your match.