Reference

Soccer field dimensions and rules by age group

What each youth age group plays in the 2026-27 season: the format, the field, the goal, the ball, and the rules that switch on as kids get older. The figures are US Soccer's small-sided standards for U6 through U12 and the Laws of the Game from U13. Leagues can and often do play on smaller fields than the ranges; their own chart wins.

Field, goal, ball and rules by age group

Age group	Format	Field size	Goal (max)	Ball	Goalkeeper	Offside	Build-out line	Heading	Game length
U4	4v4	25 to 35 by 15 to 25 yd23 to 32 by 14 to 23 m	4 by 6 ft1.22 by 1.83 m	Size 3	No	No	No	No	Four quarters, 6 to 12 min*
U5	4v4	25 to 35 by 15 to 25 yd23 to 32 by 14 to 23 m	4 by 6 ft1.22 by 1.83 m	Size 3	No	No	No	No	Four quarters, 6 to 12 min*
U6	4v4	25 to 35 by 15 to 25 yd23 to 32 by 14 to 23 m	4 by 6 ft1.22 by 1.83 m	Size 3	No	No	No	No	Four quarters, 6 to 12 min*
U7	4v4	25 to 35 by 15 to 25 yd23 to 32 by 14 to 23 m	4 by 6 ft1.22 by 1.83 m	Size 3	No	No	No	No	Four quarters, 6 to 12 min*
U8	4v4	25 to 35 by 15 to 25 yd23 to 32 by 14 to 23 m	4 by 6 ft1.22 by 1.83 m	Size 3	No	No	No	No	Four quarters, 6 to 12 min*
U9	7v7	55 to 65 by 35 to 45 yd50 to 59 by 32 to 41 m	6.5 by 18.5 ft1.98 by 5.64 m	Size 4	Yes	Past the build-out line	Yes	No	Two 25 min halves
U10	7v7	55 to 65 by 35 to 45 yd50 to 59 by 32 to 41 m	6.5 by 18.5 ft1.98 by 5.64 m	Size 4	Yes	Past the build-out line	Yes	No	Two 25 min halves
U11	9v9	70 to 80 by 45 to 55 yd64 to 73 by 41 to 50 m	7 by 21 ft2.13 by 6.4 m	Size 4	Yes	Yes	Not required	No under US Soccer; check your league*	Two 30 min halves
U12	9v9	70 to 80 by 45 to 55 yd64 to 73 by 41 to 50 m	7 by 21 ft2.13 by 6.4 m	Size 4	Yes	Yes	Not required	Yes, practice limited	Two 30 min halves
U13	11v11	100 to 130 by 50 to 100 yd91 to 119 by 46 to 91 m	8 by 24 ft2.44 by 7.32 m	Size 5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes, practice limited	Two 35 min halves
U14	11v11	100 to 130 by 50 to 100 yd91 to 119 by 46 to 91 m	8 by 24 ft2.44 by 7.32 m	Size 5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Two 35 min halves
U15	11v11	100 to 130 by 50 to 100 yd91 to 119 by 46 to 91 m	8 by 24 ft2.44 by 7.32 m	Size 5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Two 40 min halves
U16	11v11	100 to 130 by 50 to 100 yd91 to 119 by 46 to 91 m	8 by 24 ft2.44 by 7.32 m	Size 5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Two 40 min halves
U17	11v11	100 to 130 by 50 to 100 yd91 to 119 by 46 to 91 m	8 by 24 ft2.44 by 7.32 m	Size 5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Two 45 min halves
U18	11v11	100 to 130 by 50 to 100 yd91 to 119 by 46 to 91 m	8 by 24 ft2.44 by 7.32 m	Size 5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Two 45 min halves
U19	11v11	100 to 130 by 50 to 100 yd91 to 119 by 46 to 91 m	8 by 24 ft2.44 by 7.32 m	Size 5	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Two 45 min halves

Goal sizes are maximums and field sizes are the standard ranges; US Soccer recommends smaller goals at 7v7 and 9v9 than the maximum. U4 and U5 are covered by the "6 and under" standard. * US Soccer and US Youth Soccer print different figures or rules here, and the league's own rules decide. Not sure which group a child is in for 2026-27? Use the age group calculator.

The four formats

Each diagram is drawn at the middle of its range. They are not to scale with each other.

4v4 soccer field diagram: 25 to 35 yards long, 15 to 25 yards wide, with a halfway line and center mark and no penalty area

4v4 U8 and younger

Field: 25 to 35 yd (22.9 to 32 m) by 15 to 25 yd (13.7 to 22.9 m)
Goal: 4 by 6 ft (1.22 by 1.83 m)
Ball: Size 3
Game: Varies by league

4v4 dimensions and rules

7v7 soccer field diagram: 55 to 65 yards long, 35 to 45 yards wide, with penalty areas, goal areas, penalty marks, the center circle and build-out lines marked

7v7 U9 and U10

Field: 55 to 65 yd (50.3 to 59.4 m) by 35 to 45 yd (32 to 41.1 m)
Goal: 6.5 by 18.5 ft (1.98 by 5.64 m)
Ball: Size 4
Game: Two 25 minute halves, no added time.

7v7 dimensions and rules

9v9 soccer field diagram: 70 to 80 yards long, 45 to 55 yards wide, with penalty areas, goal areas, penalty marks and the center circle marked

9v9 U11 and U12

Field: 70 to 80 yd (64 to 73.2 m) by 45 to 55 yd (41.1 to 50.3 m)
Goal: 7 by 21 ft (2.13 by 6.4 m)
Ball: Size 4
Game: Two 30 minute halves, no added time.

9v9 dimensions and rules

11v11 soccer field diagram: 100 to 130 yards long, 50 to 100 yards wide, with penalty areas, goal areas, penalty marks and the center circle marked

11v11 U13 and up

Field: 100 to 130 yd (91.4 to 118.9 m) by 50 to 100 yd (45.7 to 91.4 m)
Goal: 8 by 24 ft (2.44 by 7.32 m)
Ball: Size 5
Game: Two 35 minute halves at U13 and U14, two 40 minute halves at U15 and U16, two 45 minute halves from U17, under US Youth Soccer's policy. The Laws of the Game say two 45 minute halves, which competition rules may shorten.

11v11 dimensions and rules

Yards and meters. The US standards are written in yards and feet, the Laws of the Game in meters with yards alongside. One yard is 0.9144 meters and one foot is 0.3048 meters; the tables here show both, with meters rounded to a tenth. A 60 yard field is 60 yd (54.9 m) long.

The full-size field

From U13 the field is the adult one. Law 1 allows a wide range, international matches use a narrower one, and FIFA recommends 115 by 74 yards (105 by 68 meters), which is what most professional pitches measure. The diagram below is drawn at that size.

Touchline (length): 100 to 130 yd (91.4 to 118.9 m)
Goal line (width): 50 to 100 yd (45.7 to 91.4 m)
International length: 110 to 120 yd (100.6 to 109.7 m)
International width: 70 to 80 yd (64 to 73.2 m)
Penalty area: 18 by 44 yd (16.5 by 40.2 m)
Goal area: 6 by 20 yd (5.5 by 18.3 m)
Penalty mark: 12 yd (11 m) from the goal line
Penalty arc: 10 yd (9.1 m) radius from the mark
Center circle: 10 yd (9.1 m) radius
Corner arc: 1 yd (0.9 m) radius
Goal: 8 ft high by 8 yd (24 ft) wide, inside the posts
Ball: Size 5

11v11 rules, game lengths and rosters

Marking this field? Line length and paint calculator

Looking for a team to join?

The directory lists youth leagues, clubs and fields by city, with the ages each one takes when the league publishes them. Ask a listing a question from its page: when we hold an address for the club the message goes to them, otherwise to the SoccerMapd team, who pass it on.

Youth leagues Soccer clubs Fields Age group calculator

Questions parents ask

How big is a U10 soccer field?

U10 plays 7v7 on a field 55 to 65 yards long and 35 to 45 yards wide (50 to 59 by 32 to 41 meters), with a 12 by 24 yard penalty area and a build-out line halfway between the penalty area and the halfway line. Leagues short on space play at the small end; the range is US Soccer's standard.

What size goal for U8 soccer?

No larger than 4 feet high by 6 feet wide, and there is no goalkeeper. Small portable or pop-up goals are the norm, and smaller is allowed.

What size soccer ball for U12?

Size 4. U9 through U12 use a size 4 ball, U8 and younger a size 3, and the adult size 5 starts at U13.

When do kids start playing 11v11?

At U13 under US Soccer's Player Development Initiatives. U11 and U12 play 9v9, U9 and U10 play 7v7, and U8 and younger play 4v4. Your league's own chart decides for your team.

What is the build-out line?

A line on 7v7 fields halfway between the penalty area and the halfway line. When the goalkeeper has the ball in hand or a goal kick is taken, the other team has to drop behind it until the ball is in play, so U9 and U10 teams can pass out of the back instead of clearing it. Punts are not allowed, and a player can only be offside between the build-out line and the goal.

Can U11 players head the ball?

Not under US Soccer's standard, where deliberate heading is banned in U11 games and restarts with an indirect free kick. US Youth Soccer's 2025 policy allows heading at 11 with a practice cap of 25 headers a week, so check your league. At U12 heading is allowed in games, with practice heading capped at 30 minutes and 15 to 20 headers per player per week.

How long is a U10 soccer game?

Two 25 minute halves with a 10 minute halftime and no added time, so 50 minutes of play. US Youth Soccer's policy lists the same and no overtime at 10U.

How big is a full-size soccer field?

100 to 130 yards long and 50 to 100 yards wide under Law 1; 110 to 120 by 70 to 80 yards for international matches. FIFA recommends 115 by 74 yards (105 by 68 meters), which is what most professional pitches measure.

Sources

Every figure on this page was read from one of these documents on September 4, 2026. The federations revise them; if your league's chart says otherwise, the league is right.

Player Development Initiatives, small-sided standards (February 2017) · US Soccer, hosted by US Youth Soccer
PDI Small-Sided Games referee manual (August 2017) · Cal North Referee Administration
Small-Sided Games Manual, modified rules and diagrams (revised January 2017) · US Youth Soccer, hosted by Washington Youth Soccer
Policy on Players and Playing Rules (December 5, 2025) · US Youth Soccer
Player Development Initiatives FAQ (October 2017) · Florida Youth Soccer Association
Five Things to Know: How Small-Sided Standards Will Change Youth Soccer (August 2017) · US Soccer
Head Injuries: US Soccer concussion initiative heading rules · US Club Soccer
Part III, Game Play (age group chart) · New York State West Youth Soccer Association
US Soccer Player Development Initiatives (formats by age) · Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer
Laws of the Game, Law 1: The Field of Play · IFAB
Laws of the Game, Law 2: The Ball · IFAB
Laws of the Game, Law 3: The Players · IFAB
Laws of the Game, Law 6: The Other Match Officials · IFAB
Laws of the Game, Law 7: The Duration of the Match · IFAB
Football pitch (FIFA's recommended 105 by 68 m) · Wikipedia

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