5-a-side football rules

Teams and subs

Five players a side, usually a keeper and four outfield players, so ten for a full game. Subs are rolling: anyone can swap on or off at any time, as often as you like, so 11 or 12 players works well.

The rules most 5-a-side games play

These are common, but leagues and venues vary, so check yours:

• No offside: 5-a-side is almost always played without it.
• Head height: many leagues stop the ball going above head height, with a free kick to the other side if it does.
• The keeper's area: in many games outfield players can't go in the area, and often the keeper can't come out of it.
• Kick-ins, not throw-ins: on caged and indoor pitches the ball is kicked back in from the side.
• No slide tackles: most leagues and venues ban them, and on artificial grass that's for everyone's knees.
• Back-passes and throws: some leagues stop the keeper picking up a back-pass, or throwing the ball over halfway.

Fouls and free kicks

Fouls give a free kick to the other side, usually indirect in leagues. In a friends' game there's no referee, so the usual rule is that the player fouled calls it, and nobody argues for long.

Rush goalie and rotating keepers

Plenty of friends' games don't have a fixed keeper. With rush goalie, whoever is furthest back can use their hands in the area. Or everyone takes a turn in goal, swapping after each goal or every few minutes. Agree which before kick-off.

Agree it once, then play

The best rule is the one agreed before the first goal. Pick your answers to the list above, post them in the group chat once, and the arguments stop.

Then make the teams fair with the 5-a-side team generator, or let Squadcard pick them every week from ratings your mates give each other after the game. Running the game every week? See how to organise a weekly 5-a-side.

Questions