PREMIER LEAGUE

GAMES PROGRAMME
Age group Team size Pitch size
(yards)
Goal size (feet)
Ball size
Under 9 4v4, 5v5 or 7v7 30x20 to 40x30
(4v4 and 5v5)
50x30 to
60x40 (7v7)
12x6 3
(or 4 at the
Home Club’s
option)
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES
Under 10 4v4, 5v5 and 7v7 30x20 to 40x30
(4v4 and 5v5)
50x30 to
60x40 (7v7)
Under 11 7v7 or 9v9 50x30 to
60x40 (7v7)
70x40 to
80x50 (9v9)
12x6 (4v4 and
5v5)
12x6 to 16x7
(7v7)
12x6 to
16x7 (7v7)
16x7 (9v9)
The participating Clubs shall endeavour to agree which of the above formats shall be utilised,
but in default of agreement the home Club shall decide.
Guidance
The League will organise a regional indoor programme during the second half of December, and the entirety of January
and February. In particular, a programme of Futsal will be delivered for Category 1 and Category 2 Academies. Clubs will
be free to apply to organise Authorised Games outside pursuant to Rule 139.2.
The League will organise Tournaments (lasting more than one day) for each of the Under 9, Under 10 and Under 11 age
groups in the May or June of each year (and in scheduling them it will be borne in mind that June is often the month when
Academy “downtime” occurs). The Tournaments so arranged for the Under 11 age group will include teams from clubs in
countries other than England and Wales.
In order to deliver the Foundation Phase Games Programme to all Clubs, the target travel time of 1 hour may be exceeded
from time to time, in particular in order to accommodate those Clubs whose home “locality” is small.
Both Leagues will co-operate to create cross-Category festivals from time to time which shall include all Categories of
Academy and be regionally based.
A six-week programme of festivals of Futsal and other small-sided indoor football for each age range in the Foundation Phase will
be staged. This programme will run from November to February and be organised on a basis of five regions (North East, North
West, Midlands, London and South West, and London and South East). A Futsal tournament involving a regional qualification
process culminating in a national finals event will be organised for each of the Under 9, Under 10 and Under 11 age groups.
4
4
139. Each Club which operates a Category 1, Category 2 or Category 3 Academy:
139.1. must participate fully in the Foundation Phase Games Programme; and
139.2. may organise and participate in additional Authorised Games of the types listed in
paragraphs c), d), f) and g) of that definition only (which shall be notified to the
League (if the Club operates a Category 1 or Category 2 Academy) no later than 72
hours before they are scheduled to take place).
Guidance
The Games Programme Schedule will incorporate free weeks (in addition to those referred to in Rule 178) during which no
fixtures will be arranged by the Leagues. This will allow Clubs to organise additional fixtures pursuant to Rule 139.2. In
addition, Clubs will be able to rearrange fixtures in the Foundation Phase Games Programme in order to attend
tournaments and Festivals provided suitable notice is given, the integrity of the Games Programme is maintained, and a
suitable date for the rearrangement of the fixture is agreed.
356