It’s in the name: 5, 7, 9 or 11 players per team on the field, goalkeeper included. So an 11v11 team is 1 goalkeeper and 10 field players. For a pickup game with friends, the real question is how many to invite so the game actually happens.
How many players on a soccer field, by format
| Format | Per team | On the field | Minimum to play (rules) | Invite for a pickup game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Futsal | 5 (4 + goalkeeper) | 10 | 3 per team | 10 to 12 |
| Indoor 5v5 (small-sided) | 5 | 10 | no official rule | 10 to 12 |
| 7v7 | 7 (6 + goalkeeper) | 14 | no national adult rule; US Soccer youth format for U9-U10 | 14 to 16 |
| 9v9 | 9 (8 + goalkeeper) | 18 | no national adult rule; US Soccer youth format for U11-U12 | 18 to 20 |
| 11v11 | 11 | 22 | 7 per team (Laws of the Game) | 24 to 26 |
Sources: IFAB, Law 3 of the Laws of the Game, Futsal Laws of the Game, US Soccer Player Development Initiatives, small-sided standards.
How long is a soccer game, and how big is the field?
| Format | Game length | Field size |
|---|---|---|
| Futsal | 2 × 20 min of actual playing time | 27 to 46 yd × 17 to 27 yd (25 to 42 m × 16 to 25 m) |
| Indoor 5v5 | 1-hour or 90-minute booking, no set halves | varies by facility, for example 100 × 55 ft (about 30 × 17 m) at uScore Soccer in Spring, Texas |
| 7v7 | 2 × 25 min (US Soccer, U9-U10) | 55 to 65 yd × 35 to 45 yd (about 50 to 59 m × 32 to 41 m) |
| 9v9 | set by your league | 70 to 80 yd × 45 to 55 yd (about 64 to 73 m × 41 to 50 m) |
| 11v11 | 2 × 45 min | 100 to 130 yd × 50 to 100 yd (90 to 120 m × 45 to 90 m) |
Futsal vs indoor soccer: not the same thing
People mix them up all the time, but the rules are different.
- Futsal is an official sport with its own Laws of the Game: 4 field players and 1 goalkeeper, up to 9 subs in official competitions, and unlimited substitutions at any time, like hockey line changes.
- Indoor 5v5 is the small-sided game you play at indoor facilities: turf, often boards or walls around the field, one-hour bookings. Each facility sets its own rules, but you’ll often find: no offside, no slide tackles, the ball stays in play off the walls, and often a keeper box that field players can’t enter.
How many to invite? 10 if you want to play without breaks, 12 if you want a breather. An hour of 5v5 flat out is intense: two rotating subs help a lot, and the field cost gets split 12 ways instead of 10.
7v7: the sweet spot
7 players per team, goalkeeper included. It’s US Soccer’s format for U9 and U10, with 25-minute halves on a field 55 to 65 yards long. For adults there’s no national rule: your league or facility decides the details.
How many to invite? 14 at least, 16 to have one sub per team. It’s more physical than 5v5, and running for 50 minutes without a break hurts.
9v9: the youth format
A 9v9 team is 8 field players and a goalkeeper. US Soccer uses it for U11 and U12, on a field 70 to 80 yards long, with rosters capped at 16 players. Among adults, it’s mostly a fallback: you wanted to play 11v11 and only 18 people showed up? Play 9v9 on a smaller field.
11v11: the real challenge
11 per team, 22 on the field. The Laws of the Game don’t allow a match to start or continue if either team has fewer than 7 players. In a league, a team without enough players usually has to forfeit: check your league’s rules.
How many to invite? At least 24, ideally 26: 2 to 4 subs for the whole group. And be realistic: with friends, it’s by far the hardest format to fill. If you only have 18 signed up the day before, switch to 9v9 instead of canceling.
How many subs in soccer?
In official competitions, the competition rules set the number of substitutes and whether a player who comes off can go back on. The Laws of the Game allow more substitutes in other matches if both teams agree and the referee is told beforehand, and “return substitutions” are allowed in youth, veterans, disability and grassroots soccer if the national association agrees. In a pickup game, there are no limits: rotate freely, and anyone who comes off can go back on.
Should you invite more people than spots?
Not necessarily. Inviting a big crowd “just in case” means you might end up with 14 people for 10 spots, and have to tell four friends they came for nothing.
The method that works best: set the exact number of spots and open a waitlist. The first people to answer play, the next ones wait. If someone drops out, the first person on the list takes their spot. Nobody shows up for nothing, and the game stays full.
Without an app: write the waitlist under the player list, in the order people replied, and text the first person yourself when a spot opens up.
With Footinho (a free, ad-free app for organizing soccer games with friends, on iPhone, Android or in a browser, run by a nonprofit association): you set the number of spots and turn on the waitlist. The counter (“9/10”) is visible to everyone, and as soon as a spot opens up, the first person on the list moves into the game and gets notified.
Short on players the day before?
In this order:
- Chase the people who said “maybe”: they’re your fastest option.
- Ask each confirmed player to bring a friend.
- Open the game to other players nearby.
- Go smaller: from 7v7 to 5v5, from 11v11 to 9v9.
With Footinho: you get an alert the day before if the game isn’t full, which gives you time to do all of the above. And you can make your game a public match so players nearby can join.
Try Footinho for your next game
Number of spots, waitlist, an alert the day before if you’re short: Footinho takes care of it, free and without ads. Create your game →
➜ Read next: How to Organize a Pickup Soccer Game with Friends: 7 Steps
