16-player sessions
Football Drills for 16 Players
785 football drills whose player range genuinely covers a group of 16.
Sixteen players is a full grassroots squad: 8v8, two 4v4 pitches side by side, or four teams of four. Two pitches usually beat one big game because the ball reaches everyone.
Nothing on this page has been adapted to fit. Each drill states a minimum and maximum number of players in the library, and only practices whose range includes 16 appear here.
Two pitches at once
8v8 games
Four teams of four
45 matching drills
Drill categories on this page
Drills that work with 16 players
Filtered on the player range recorded for each drill, so every practice runs properly with 16 on the pitch.
More practices that fit
Every drill page has the full set-up, coaching points, progressions and a diagram.
- 5v2 Rondo Ladder — possession drill, 12 min, Under 8 to Adults
- 6v6 Thirds Conditioned Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 10 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 Shape & Width — team shape drill, 22 min, Under 12 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
- 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
- Build Up From Goal Kicks — playing out from the back drill, 22 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
- Colour Call Walk and Talk Cool Down — cool downs drill, 8 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Colour Call Youth Movement Games — football fitness drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Under 11
- Combination Back Four Slide — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
- Combination Ball Interval Fitness — football fitness drill, 14 min, Under 12 to Adults
- Combination Build-Up Shape — playing out from the back drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
- Combination Central Combination Attack — attacking drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
- Combination Change of Direction Grid — speed & agility drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Adults
- Combination Clock Face Touches — ball mastery drill, 10 min, Under 5 to Adults
Session plans for a squad this size
- U10 Passing Session Plan (60 Minutes, Free) — passing & receiving, 12 players, 60 minutes
- U12 Defending Session Plan (75 Minutes, Free) — defending & pressing, 14 players, 75 minutes
- U9 Shooting & Finishing Session Plan (60 Minutes, Free) — shooting & finishing, 12 players, 60 minutes
- U14 Possession Session Plan (90 Minutes, Free) — possession & playing out, 16 players, 90 minutes
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
Should you split sixteen players into two games?
Usually yes. Two 4v4 games give far more touches and decisions than one 8v8, and you can set a different constraint on each pitch.
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Plan a session for 16 players
Enter your numbers and the time you have, and the session builder only uses drills that fit the group in front of you.