Pickup soccer: how to run your own game

Pickup soccer is the game you don't need a team for: whoever turns up plays. In the US it's the name for a casual game of soccer (football), from a park kickabout to a weekly game a group books every Tuesday. Here's how pickup works, and how to run your own so it still happens in week ten.

By Squadcard. Last updated 23 October 2026.

In short

Pickup soccer is a casual, unofficial game: no league, no referee, teams made from whoever turns up.
Most pickup games are small-sided, 5v5 to 8v8, with house rules agreed on the spot: no offside, kick-ins, often no keepers.
To run your own: fix a day, time and field, book it, and get a regular group of about twice the players you need.
Ask who's in before game day, split the teams fairly, and agree how the field cost is shared.

What pickup soccer is

A pickup game is soccer without the structure: no league, no fixed teams, usually no referee. Players show up, someone splits them into two sides, and they play until it's dark or the booking runs out. In the UK the same thing is a kickabout, or a weekly 5-a-side.

There are two kinds. Open pickup, where anyone can join, at a park or through apps and venues that sell spots in a game. And your own game: a group of friends, co-workers or parents who book a field every week. This guide is mostly about the second.

The usual pickup rules

Our 5v5 and 7v7 soccer rules guide has a full set to agree before kickoff.

Small-sided: 5v5 to 8v8, depending on the field and who turns up.
No offside, in almost every pickup game.
Kick-ins instead of throw-ins, and no slide tackles.
Keepers: a regular keeper, a rotating one, or rush goalie when nobody wants to stay in goal.
Winner stays on when there are three teams: first to two goals, or five minutes, and the losers sit out.
Calls: no referee, so players call their own fouls, and the honest call wins.

How to run your own weekly game

Fix it: the same day, time and field every week. Book it for the season if you can; a regular slot is what makes it a habit.
Build the group: you need about twice as many people as places, because not everyone can play every week. Start with a group chat.
Ask who's in early: a day or two before, so you know whether you have enough, and who's on the waitlist when it's full.
Split teams fairly: lopsided games are what make people stop coming. Our random team generator splits whoever turns up into two even sides.
Share the cost: agree how the field fee is split, and keep track of who's paid.

Doing it without the spreadsheet

Squadcard is an app for groups that play every week. Players say in or out from a link in the group chat, with no download, and there's a waitlist when the game's full. Teams are picked from ratings the whole group gives after each game, and it tracks who owes for the field without ever taking or moving money. Compare it with others on the TeamSnap alternative page, or read is TeamSnap free.

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Questions

What is pickup soccer?

A casual, unofficial game of soccer: no league or fixed teams, with sides made from whoever turns up, usually small-sided and without a referee.

What does pickup mean in soccer?

That the game is picked up on the spot: players arrive and teams are made there, rather than being a scheduled match between set teams.

How many players do you need for pickup soccer?

Anything from 8 (4v4) upwards. 10 to 16 players for 5v5 to 8v8 is the most common, with a few extra so the game still happens when people drop out.

Is there offside in pickup soccer?

Almost never. Most pickup games are played without offside, but agree it before you start.

How do you pick fair teams for pickup soccer?

Spread the strongest players, keep the two best apart and split the keepers. A team generator that balances by level does it in seconds.