From the start of the 2026/27 season, we will be launching a new progressive framework for grassroots youth football in England, which aims to further improve the experience for young players across the country – giving them more time on the ball, more time on the pitch and increasing their physical activity levels.

Over the past two years, we have been working with our stakeholders across the grassroots game to explore the future of youth football, alongside the physical and technical impact of our current formats on young players. This comprehensive consultation process has been enhanced by a study into playing formats for youth players in other European nations and is complimented with our own research and testing within the grassroots game across England. 

In partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, we have studied more than 400 grassroots games, from U6-U14 level, which has allowed us to better understand the technical and physical returns of different playing formats for young players and the impact of proposed adjustments.

From the 2026/27 season, we will be introducing the following changes and will shortly deliver a series of comprehensive workshops and tools to support all coaches, clubs and leagues across the country to further understand the changes that will be implemented: 

• A new 3v3 Entry Format for the youngest players in the pathway at U7s level, fielding three players on each side, to maximise engagement and provide the best introduction to football. 

• Each format will be played one year later as players transition through the pathway, including 11v11 which will move from U13s to U14s level. 

• Greater alignment with schools with children playing smaller formats with simplified rules throughout primary school, before progressing to 9v9 and more complex rules at secondary school.

• Evolved Laws of the Game that are age-appropriate and best support the overall development of the young player. For example, amendments have already been made to game restarts for U7s-U9s to increase ball in play time.

A new Future Fit: Digital Content Hub has been launched to help the grassroots football community with these changes in advance of implementation from the 2026/27 season, and the workshops will take place across the country in March and April 2025. Our Future Fit: Digital Content Hub will be continuously updated over the next 18 months, to ensure the latest information is available to the grassroots game. Specific details around implementation of formats, including 3v3, will also follow as part of this. 

FA Director of Football Development, James Kendall said: "We are excited about these new changes which follow a two-year period of consultation with the grassroots game. Our approach is about evolution, not revolution, helping to increase the levels of engagement, physical activity, skill development and the volume of technical actions for every player. Together with the County FA network, we are fully committed to working closely with all those involved in delivering grassroots youth football, providing the support needed to implement these changes across the country.”

The FA’s Future Fit: Digital Content Hub for the future of youth football in England can be found here.