6-a-side football rules

Teams and subs

Six players a side, usually a keeper and five outfield players, so twelve for a full game. Subs are almost always rolling: anyone can come on or off at any time, as many times as you like, so a group of 13 or 14 works well.

The rules most games play

These are common in 6-a-side, but check them with your group or your league:

• No offside: most small-sided games play without it.
• No slide tackles: most leagues and venues ban them, and on artificial grass it's for everyone's knees.
• Kick-ins, not throw-ins: in caged and indoor pitches the ball is usually kicked back in from the side.
• The keeper's area: some games keep outfield players out of it; others play it like a normal penalty area.
• Keeper distribution: some leagues stop keepers throwing or kicking the ball over halfway.
• Head height: some games ban the ball going above head height, a rule more common in 5-a-side.

Fouls and free kicks

Fouls give a free kick to the other side. In a friends' game there's no referee, so the usual rule is that the person fouled calls it and nobody argues for long. If one player keeps fouling, deal with it before it spoils the game.

How long to play

League games are usually short, with two halves and a quick break. In a friends' game you just play until the booking runs out. Swap ends at half time, especially if one end is into the wind or the sun.

Agree it once, then play

The best rule is the one agreed before kick-off. Pick your answers to the list above once, post them in the group chat, and you won't spend half the game arguing about whether that was a slide tackle.

Then make the teams fair with the 6-a-side team generator, or let Squadcard pick them every week from ratings your mates give each other after the game.

Questions