90 minute sessions
90 Minute Football Training Session
A timed 90 minute football session structure, plus drills short enough to fit each phase.
What does a 90 minute football session look like?
A 15 minute warm up, 30 minutes of practices, a 20 minute phase of play, a 20 minute match and 5 minutes to cool down and review.
Ninety minutes is an adult or senior-youth session. The extra time is best spent on a full phase of play and a longer match, not on doubling the number of drills.
The drills underneath all list a duration that fits inside one block of this session, so you can slot them straight into the shape above.
Drill categories on this page
How the session breaks down
| Phase | Minutes | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Warm up | 15 | Raise, activate, mobilise, then ball work. |
| Technical practice | 15 | Theme repetition at match tempo. |
| Skill practice | 15 | Opposed with direction and goals. |
| Phase of play | 20 | Two thirds of a pitch, real units. |
| Match | 20 | 11v11 or the largest sided game you can make. |
| Cool down | 5 | Light running and stretching. |
A 15 minute warm up for a 90 minute session
Ninety minutes is a senior-youth or adult session, so the warm up should look like a match-day one: raise, activate, mobilise, then ball work at tempo.
- 1
Raise and mobilise
6 minJogging, dynamic mobility, hamstring and groin preparation, three build-up runs to 90 per cent.
- 2
Combination passing
5 minY-shape pattern with a bounce player, both sides, one-touch sets.
- 3
Pressing rondo
4 min6v3 with pressing triggers, whoever loses the ball goes in.
Finish the warm up at match intensity so the first practice does not need a five minute run-in.
Structuring a full 90 minutes
The extra time is best spent on a full phase of play and a longer match, not on doubling the number of drills. Fifteen minutes warm up, thirty minutes of practices, twenty minutes phase of play, twenty minutes match and five to cool down covers it.
Watch the total load: ninety minutes at high tempo two nights before a match will cost you on Sunday.
Football training drills that fit a 90 minute session
Each practice states its own duration in the library — these all fit inside a single block of the structure above.
- Age band
- Under 7 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 10 min
- Area
- 15 x 10 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Ladder
- Focus
- Warm Up
1-to-1 Agility With The Ball
Improve foot speed and change of direction
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 14 min
- Area
- 15 x 10 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Mini Goals
- Focus
- Skill Practice
1-to-1 Attacking Duels
Beat an opponent one against one
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- 8 x 8 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
1-to-1 Ball Mastery Clinic
Master a bank of moves through repetition
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 14 min
- Area
- 15 x 10 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Skill Practice
1-to-1 Defending Technique
Individual defending shape and footwork
- Age band
- Under 8 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- Half of the penalty area
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Mini Goals
- Focus
- Skill Practice
1-to-1 Finishing Session
Groove a repeatable finishing technique
- Age band
- Under 7 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- 10 x 8 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Rebound Boards
- Focus
- Technical Practice
1-to-1 First Touch Wall Work
Take a directional first touch under time pressure
- Age band
- Under 8 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- Goal area
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Full Goals
- Focus
- Technical Practice
1-to-1 Goalkeeper Handling
Sharpen handling and set position
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 14 min
- Area
- 12 x 8 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Rebound Boards
- Focus
- Technical Practice
1-to-1 Passing & Receiving Wall Work
High volume of passes and first touches alone or in a pair
- Age band
- Under 8 to Adults
- Players
- 1-2
- Time
- 20 min
- Area
- 25 x 15 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Mini Goals
- Focus
- Technical Practice
1-to-1 Shooting Technique Session
Groove a clean laces strike with both feet
Need a complete session, not just drills? Pick your age group, numbers, length and focus and get the whole plan.
Build one nowMore practices that fit
Every drill page has the full set-up, step-by-step instructions, coaching points and progressions.
- 1v1 Defending — defending drill, 15 min, Under 5 to Adults
- 1v1 End Zone Duels — dribbling drill, 15 min, Under 5 to Adults
- 1v1 Gate Attack — dribbling drill, 15 min, Under 5 to Adults
- 2v2 Defending Units — defending drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
- 2v2 Rapid Tournament — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
- 3v2 Attack To Goal — finishing drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
- 3v2 Transition Breaks — transition drill, 18 min, Under 10 to Adults
- 3v3 Continuous Games — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
- 500 Touches Mastery Circuit — ball mastery drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- 5v2 Rondo Ladder — possession drill, 12 min, Under 8 to Adults
- Aerial Control Practice — receiving drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Attacking Corners Practice — set pieces drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
- Attacking Headers From Corners — heading drill, 15 min, Under 12 to Adults
- Attacking Overloads 3v2 — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Attacking Throw In Routines — set pieces drill, 15 min, Under 9 to Adults
- Back Four Shifting Shape — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
- Back To Goal Receiving — receiving drill, 18 min, Under 10 to Adults
- Ball Mastery Toolbox — ball mastery drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Ball Tag & Fun Games — warm ups drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Block & Slide Tackle Technique — tackling drill, 12 min, Under 10 to Adults
- Challenge Ball and Body Warm Up — warm ups drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Challenge Pass and Move Warm Up — warm ups drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Challenge Rondo Warm Up — warm ups drill, 10 min, Under 8 to Adults
- Challenge Stretch Circle Cool Down — cool downs drill, 8 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Challenge Walk and Talk Cool Down — cool downs drill, 8 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Challenge Youth Movement Games — football fitness drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Under 11
- Circuit Ball and Body Warm Up — warm ups drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Circuit Pass and Move Warm Up — warm ups drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Circuit Rondo Warm Up — warm ups drill, 12 min, Under 8 to Adults
- Circuit Stretch Circle Cool Down — cool downs drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Circuit Walk and Talk Cool Down — cool downs drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Circuit Youth Movement Games — football fitness drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Under 11
- Colour Call Ball and Body Warm Up — warm ups drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Colour Call Pass and Move Warm Up — warm ups drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Colour Call Rondo Warm Up — warm ups drill, 10 min, Under 8 to Adults
- Colour Call Stretch Circle Cool Down — cool downs drill, 8 min, Under 5 to Adults
Complete plans you can run as they are
- U14 Possession Session Plan (90 Minutes, Free) — possession & playing out, 16 players, 90 minutes
Related Football Drills & Sessions
Coaching articles that help here
- How To Give Better Feedback — Five ways to make your feedback land, stick and actually change what a player does next.
- The Art Of Asking Better Questions — Questions turn players into problem solvers. Here is how to ask ones that get real answers.
- How To Plan A Better Training Session — One theme, four phases and a game at the end — the plan that works for almost every grassroots night.
- Coaching Confidence — Practical ways to feel calmer and more assured on the pitch, even when you're new to it.
Common questions
What does a 90 minute football session look like?
A 15 minute warm up, 30 minutes of practices, a 20 minute phase of play, a 20 minute match and 5 minutes to cool down and review.
Who is a 90 minute session suitable for?
Mainly older youth or adult squads with the numbers and pitch space for opposed practices and a longer match. Shorter sessions are often better for younger groups.
How long should the warm up take?
Allow about 15 minutes, progressing from movement to ball work and then a short competitive activity. Avoid starting the high-intensity block cold.
Do you need more drills in a 90 minute session?
No. Keep one theme and use the extra time for a realistic phase of play and match, not a string of unrelated exercises.
Other session lengths
Drills by age group
Browse by squad size
Browse by topic
- Football passing drills
- Football shooting drills
- Football dribbling drills
- Football defending drills
- Football possession drills
- Fun football drills
- Football warm up drills
- Small-sided games
- Goalkeeper drills
- Football rondo drills
- 1v1 football drills
- 1v1 tackling drills
- 2v2 defending drills
- Football session plans
Build your own 90 minute plan
Choose the objective, age group and numbers, and the session builder fills the structure above with timed practices.
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