Under 13 - 15

Recent changes in playing format

The FA's FutureFit program has made a big modification for Under 13 players by keeping them in a 9v9 format on a 73m x 46m surface for an additional year, rather than advancing them to 11v11 football as they would have done previously. This shift is significant because it allows young players more time to improve their technical skills, decision-making, positional awareness, and game comprehension in an age-appropriate setting before facing the higher physical and tactical demands of 11v11 football.

Under 13 - 15 Curriculum

At Under 13, players should continue to hone their passing, receiving, dribbling, finishing, and defensive abilities under increased pressure and over longer distances. Coaches should teach fundamentals like preserving team shape, playing through the thirds, pushing together, compact defence, and creating overloads. Players should begin to comprehend how their job fits into the overall team strategy and have an awareness for both individual and unit roles in attack, defence, and transition. Sessions should be entertaining and competitive, challenging players to think, communicate, and solve problems in realistic game scenarios.

At Under 14, players advance to the full 11v11 game, which introduces substantially more space, physical demands, and tactical intricacy. The emphasis should be on assisting players in adjusting to the larger playing area and boosting tactical awareness while maintaining technical talents acquired in previous age groups. Players should gradually become more comfortable doing technical skills at match speed and under pressure. Coaches should emphasise combination play, positional rotations, building from the back, effective pressing, defensive organisation, and transition management. More emphasis should be placed on knowing team principles, such as when to play forward, retain possession, penetrate, or delay play. Players should be encouraged to analyse the game, learn their opponents' strengths and weaknesses, and make informed judgements based on the match's demands. Physical development, such as speed, agility, coordination, and injury prevention behaviours, should continue to be incorporated into football curriculum.