Drill category

Football small-sided games drills

Small-sided games are where the session theme gets tested. Conditioned 3v3, 4v4 and 5v5 games keep everyone involved and decisions constant.

What to coach

Condition the game, not the players
Short games, quick resets
Coach in the natural stoppages

Filter the small-sided games drills Football session plans

All 133 football small-sided games drills

Every drill below has its own page with the full set-up, step-by-step instructions, coaching points and progressions.

Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
World Cup Tournament — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
3v3 Continuous Games — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
2v2 Rapid Tournament — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
6v6 Thirds Conditioned Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 10 to Adults
Four Goal Dribble Game — dribbling drill, 16 min, Under 6 to Adults
Three Goal Finishing Game — finishing drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
Defend The Gate — tackling drill, 15 min, Under 8 to Adults
Keep Away With Neutrals — possession drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Beat The Press Game — playing out from the back drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
4v4 Transition Game — transition drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
4v4 To Mini Goals — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 6 to Adults
5v5 With Keepers — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 8 to Adults
Three Team Rotation Games — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 8 to Adults
Directional Possession Match — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Wide Channel Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Football Endurance Intervals — speed & agility drill, 15 min, Under 12 to Adults
Ball Tag Conditioning Game — football fitness drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Under 12
Conditioning Possession Game — football fitness drill, 16 min, Under 12 to Adults
Three Team Small-Sided Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
End Zone Keepy — warm ups drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Mini Match Pulse — warm ups drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
Gate Hunters — ball mastery drill, 18 min, Under 6 to Under 15
Corner Box Play — ball mastery drill, 20 min, Under 8 to Under 16
End Zone Relays — passing drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
Pass and Chase — passing drill, 14 min, Under 7 to Under 16
Corner Box Keepers — passing drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Four Box Possession — possession drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Touchline Thunder — dribbling drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
End Zone Control — first touch drill, 18 min, Under 7 to Adults
End Zone First Touch — receiving drill, 18 min, Under 6 to Adults
Chaos Finish — shooting drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Under 16
Two Goal Chase — finishing drill, 20 min, Under 8 to Adults
End Zone Pounce — finishing drill, 18 min, Under 6 to Adults
Flank Finish Grid — crossing drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Box to Box Loft — heading drill, 18 min, Under 12 to Adults
Rondo Rise — heading drill, 12 min, Under 12 to Adults
Box Out Battle — defending drill, 12 min, Under 7 to Under 16
Two Goal Shield — defending drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Under 16
Gate Press Chase — pressing drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Under 14
Mini Zone Rattle — pressing drill, 18 min, Under 6 to Adults
End Line Takeaway — tackling drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Double Gate Tackle — tackling drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Base Line Pass — playing out from the back drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Swap Box Game — transition drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Double End Dash — transition drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Split Screen — transition drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Blue to Red — transition drill, 17 min, Under 7 to Adults
Keepers In The Corners — small-sided games drill, 15 min, Under 7 to Under 16
End Line Dash — small-sided games drill, 12 min, Under 5 to Under 14
Four Corner Keep Ball — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Channel Breakout — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
Mini Box Battle — small-sided games drill, 10 min, Under 6 to Under 16
Support And Switch — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
Cone End Battle — small-sided games drill, 12 min, Under 7 to Adults
Bounce Off Game — small-sided games drill, 15 min, Under 6 to Adults
Target Link Play — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Moving Gates Match — small-sided games drill, 14 min, Under 5 to Under 14
Numbers Up Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 7 to Adults
Quick Restart Chase — small-sided games drill, 15 min, Under 6 to Adults
Shadow Goals Game — small-sided games drill, 14 min, Under 7 to Adults
Split Pitch Battle — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Four Gate Finish — small-sided games drill, 12 min, Under 6 to Under 16
Bounce And Burst — small-sided games drill, 10 min, Under 7 to Under 16
Safe Side Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Endless Diamond — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 7 to Adults
Front Foot Fight — small-sided games drill, 15 min, Under 8 to Adults
Box To Box Scramble — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Crosscourt Clash — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Wave Shift — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Two Goal Shape — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 6 to Adults
Line and Layer — team shape drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Traffic Claim — goalkeeping drill, 18 min, Under 10 to Adults
Box to Box — speed & agility drill, 16 min, Under 7 to Under 16
Number Rush — speed & agility drill, 18 min, Under 7 to Adults
Corner Dash — speed & agility drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Four-Side Finish — cool downs drill, 15 min, Under 5 to Adults
Recovery Grid — cool downs drill, 16 min, Under 5 to Adults
End Zone Chase — attacking drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
Wide Switch Score — attacking drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Numbers Up Attack — attacking drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Cone Burst Relay — football fitness drill, 14 min, Under 6 to Adults
Box To Box Runs — football fitness drill, 18 min, Under 8 to Adults
Support Sprint Circuit — football fitness drill, 16 min, Under 8 to Adults
Boundary Battles — football fitness drill, 14 min, Under 8 to Adults
Overload Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Underload Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Two-Touch Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Tempo Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Transition Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Pressure Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Continuous Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Rotation Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Combination Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Wide Channel Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Counter Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Finishing Four Goal Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Overload Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Underload Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Two-Touch Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Tempo Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Transition Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Pressure Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Continuous Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Rotation Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Combination Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Wide Channel Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Counter Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Finishing Halfway Line Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Overload Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 5 to Adults
Underload Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Two-Touch Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Tempo Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Transition Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 9 to Adults
Pressure Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 9 to Adults
Continuous Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 5 to Adults
Rotation Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 5 to Adults
Combination Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Wide Channel Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 5 to Adults
Counter Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 9 to Adults
Finishing Three Team Rotation Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 5 to Adults
Overload End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Underload End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Two-Touch End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 5 to Adults
Tempo End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 5 to Adults
Transition End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Pressure End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Continuous End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Rotation End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Combination End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 5 to Adults
Wide Channel End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 16 min, Under 5 to Adults
Counter End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 9 to Adults
Finishing End Zone Game — small-sided games drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults

Drills by age group

Small-Sided Games drill questions coaches ask

How many football small-sided games drills are there on Football Coach Hub?

There are 133 football small-sided games drills in the library, each with a setup, coaching points, common mistakes, a progression and a regression so you can run it with mixed abilities.

What equipment do I need for small-sided games drills?

Most drills need only a ball per player, cones and bibs. You can filter the drill library by the kit you actually have, including mini goals, full goals, poles, ladders and rebound boards.

How long should a small-sided games practice last?

Ten to fifteen minutes on one technical practice is usually enough before players need a change of picture. Follow it with the same theme inside a small-sided game.

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