6-player sessions
Football Drills for 6 Players
739 football drills whose player range genuinely covers a group of 6.
What is the best drill for six players?
A 3v3 to four mini goals. It gives constant decisions, defending, finishing and transition in one practice with almost no set-up.
Six is the classic small turnout: three pairs, a 3v3, or 4v2 rondos. These drills all work cleanly with six, and most scale up if another two players arrive late.
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 6 appear here.
Drill categories on this page
A football warm up for 6 players
Small numbers make warm ups easy: nobody hides and every player gets hundreds of touches. Keep it in one area so the session flows straight into the first practice.
- 1
Ball each in a 15 x 15 square
4 minDribble, then work through sole rolls, drag-backs and outside-foot turns. Call a turn every twenty seconds and insist on both feet.
- 2
Pairs passing with movement
4 minTen yards apart, pass and follow into a two-yard gate beside your partner so both players are moving before every pass.
- 3
4v2 rondo
4 minTight square, defenders press for forty-five seconds then swap. Short and sharp — with a small group this is already competitive.
Twelve minutes is plenty. With a small group you can start coaching individuals from the first minute.
Setting up football training drills for 6 players
With 6 players your biggest advantage is touches. Keep areas small, keep the ball rolling and accept that anything needing a defending unit will not work tonight.
Every drill listed on this page stores its own minimum and maximum player numbers in the library, so nothing here has been stretched to fit.
- Use pairs, 1v1s and 2v2s rather than anything positional.
- Set the pitch out before players arrive so the first ball is kicked on time.
- Have one spare practice in your pocket for when numbers change on the night.
When numbers change on the night
Grassroots attendance in the UK swings with school, illness and the weather. The quickest fixes are a neutral player who always plays for the team in possession, or turning a defender into a target player. Both keep the practice intact rather than forcing you to rebuild it.
Football training drills that work with 6 players
Filtered on the player range recorded for each drill, so every practice runs properly with 6 on the pitch.
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 6-16
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- 15 x 12 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Mini Goals
- Focus
- Skill Practice
1v1 Defending
Delay and control an attacker one against one
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 4-16
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- 20 x 12 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Bibs
- Focus
- Skill Practice
1v1 End Zone Duels
Beat a defender and dribble into the end zone
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 6-16
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- 12 x 15 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Skill Practice
1v1 Gate Attack
Encourage players to run at defenders
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 4-20
- Time
- 20 min
- Area
- 20 x 15 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Bibs
- Focus
- Small-Sided Game
2v2 Rapid Tournament
Maximise touches and duels per player
- Age band
- Under 9 to Adults
- Players
- 6-18
- Time
- 20 min
- Area
- 40 x 30 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Bibs, Full Goals
- Focus
- Skill Practice
3v2 Attack To Goal
Exploit an overload quickly
- Age band
- Under 10 to Adults
- Players
- 6-18
- Time
- 18 min
- Area
- 40 x 25 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Bibs, Mini Goals
- Focus
- Skill Practice
3v2 Transition Breaks
Break at speed in an overload
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 2-24
- Time
- 10 min
- Area
- 15 x 15 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Warm Up
500 Touches Mastery Circuit
Bank hundreds of quality touches quickly
- Age band
- Under 5 to Adults
- Players
- 4-16
- Time
- 12 min
- Area
- 15 x 10 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
Aerial Control Practice
Control a bouncing or lofted ball cleanly
- Age band
- Under 12 to Adults
- Players
- 5-16
- Time
- 15 min
- Area
- Penalty area
- Kit
- Balls, Cones, Full Goals
- Focus
- Skill Practice
Attacking Headers From Corners
Attack a corner with timed runs
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.
- 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
- 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 Aerial Control Zone — first touch drill, 12 min, Under 9 to Adults
- Combination Attacking Header Target — heading drill, 10 min, Under 12 to Adults
- Combination Back-to-Goal Receiving — receiving drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
- Combination Ball Interval Fitness — football fitness drill, 14 min, Under 12 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
- Combination Corner Routine Rehearsal — set pieces drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
- Combination Cutback Finish — finishing drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
- Combination Defensive Heading Clear — heading drill, 10 min, Under 12 to Adults
- Combination Delay and Show — defending drill, 14 min, Under 8 to Adults
- Combination Double Wide Crossing — crossing drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Session plans for a squad this size
- U8 Dribbling Session Plan (45 Minutes, Free) — dribbling & 1v1, 10 players, 45 minutes
- U7 First Football Session Plan (45 Minutes, Free) — fun & ball mastery, 8 players, 45 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 is the best drill for six players?
A 3v3 to four mini goals. It gives constant decisions, defending, finishing and transition in one practice with almost no set-up.
Other squad sizes
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Plan a session for 6 players
Enter your numbers and the time you have, and the session builder only uses drills that fit the group in front of you.
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