5v5 and 7v7 soccer rules

Team sizes and subs

5v5 is a goalkeeper and four field players a side; 7v7 is a goalkeeper and six. Subs come on "on the fly", at any time and as often as you like, so a roster of two or three more than the number on the field keeps everyone fresh.

Pickup games usually just split whoever shows up. If that's 12 for a 5v5 field, play 6v6 rather than sitting two out.

The rules most 5v5 games play

Common, but facilities and leagues vary, so check yours:

• No offside: 5v5 is almost always played without it.
• No slide tackles: banned in most rec leagues and nearly every pickup game.
• Kick-ins: when the ball goes out on the side, it's kicked back in, not thrown.
• The goalkeeper's area: many games keep field players out of it and the keeper in it.
• Ball height: some leagues play nothing above head height.
• No punting: keepers often have to throw or roll the ball out.

The rules that change in 7v7

Seven a side on a bigger field is closer to the full game, and leagues split on these:

• Offside: many adult rec leagues play 7v7 without it; some play it. Ask before your first game.
• Throw-ins or kick-ins: both are common.
• Slide tackles: usually still banned in rec play.
• Goal kicks and punts: some leagues don't allow the ball to cross midfield in the air from the keeper.

Indoor soccer: boards and lines

Indoor arenas with walls play the ball off the boards, so it rarely goes out and the game never stops. Some arenas add a rule against playing the ball in the air across three lines of the field, to stop long balls from the back. Arena rules differ more than outdoor ones, so read your facility's sheet.

Indoor on a court with lines and no boards is closer to futsal, which has its own official rules.

Co-ed games

Many co-ed leagues set a minimum number of women on the field for each team. The exact number, and what happens if a team is short, is the league's call. In pickup, the simplest rule is to split the teams evenly on ability and let everyone play.

Fouls with no referee

Most pickup games have no referee. The usual rule: the player who was fouled calls it, the other side gets a free kick, and nobody argues for long. Hand balls and anything dangerous are called the same way.

Agree it once, then play

The best rule is the one agreed before the first goal. Decide offside, kick-ins, slide tackles and the keeper's area, post it in the group chat once, and the arguments stop.

The same games go by other names in the UK: there are guides to 5-a-side rules and 7-a-side rules, plus 7v7 formations. If your pickup game is the same group every week, Squadcard handles who's in and picks fair teams from ratings your teammates give each other after each game.

Questions