JUNIOR & YOUTH PLAYING FORMATS

Information on how your club should be forming its teams. There may be variations depending on the size of your club.

First Kicks - 5th/6th/7th Grade

Key Points - First Kicks 

  • Turning 5, 6 or 7 this year
  • 3v3 format
  • 3 x 8-minute games
  • No goalkeepers
  • No offside rule
  • No throw-ins or corner kicks
  • Ball kicked/dribbled back into play
  • No published match results or ladders

Need more clarification? For more detail, all Junior Football Rules are written out on Coachmate. Download free on iOS or Android. 

First Kicks Football 2026

In most areas, First Kicks will be organised into 5th/6th Grade and 6th/7th Grade, allowing clubs and schools flexibility to use their judgment on where 6th Grade players best fit based on player experience.

Teams will be made up of 6 - 8 players (8 players recommended). A team will do skill activities, and then split in two groups of 3 or 4 for 3 games, each 8 minutes long.

They’ll rotate after each game, so they play against a variety of other players.

Some regions and clubs may have slight variances. For more information, contact your club or school for details.

Fun Football 5v5 - 8th / 9th Grade + U9 Girls

Key Points - Fun Football

  • 5v5 format (Four players plus a goalkeeper)
  • 2 x 20min games against 2 different teams (some locations may play one game with 20min halves)
  • 8th Grade - Size 3 ball
  • 9th Grade - Size 4 ball
  • U9 Girls - Size 3 ball
  • No offside rule
  • Corners - yes
  • Free kicks awarded for fouls - direct and indirect
  • Retreat to half way for goal kicks
  • Ball kicked/dribbled back into play (No throw-ins)
  • No published match results or ladders
  • Only the team and referee can be on the pitch (not coaches) 

Need more clarification? For more detail, all Junior Football Rules are written out on Coachmate. Download free on iOS or Android. 

Fun Football 2026

For those who have been involved with Junior football for a while, they’ll notice that goalkeepers are being introduced to junior football now in 5v5 – this is one of Whole of Football 2.0 changes.

In most of our competitions, 8th and 9th Grade will play two games of football on game day. Each one is 20mins long, played against two different opposition teams.

• 8th Grade born 2018

• 9th Grade born 2017

• U9 born 2017 or 2018

Mini Football 7v7 - 10th / 11th Grade 

Key Points - 7v7

7v7 Format with Goalkeepers (6 outfield players and a goalkeeper)

50 Min game (2 x 25 min halves)

Size 4 Ball

  • Retreating line rule (1/3 of pitch) for goal kicks
  • Partial offside rule (between retreating line and goal line)
  • Throw-ins for restart
  • Goal kicks - Yes
  • Free Kicks - Yes, Direct and Indirect
  • Corners  - Yes
  • Penalties - No
  • No published match results or ladders

Mini Football (7v7) 2026

• 10th Grade born 2016

• 11th Grade born 2015

• U11 born 2015 or 2016

Need more clarification? For more detail, all Junior Football Rules are written out on Coachmate. Download free on iOS or Android. 

Mini Football 9v9 - 12th / 13th Grade + U13 Girls

Key Points 

9v9 Format with Goalkeepers (Eight outfield players plus a goalkeeper)

2 x 30 min halves

Size 4 ball

  • Full offside rule from half way
  • Retreating line for goalkicks to 1/3 
  • Throw-ins for sidelines
  • Corner kicks and goal kicks 
  • Goal Keeper cannot drop kick from hands
  • Free Kicks - Direct and indirect 
  • Penalty kicks - Yes 8m
  • No published match results or ladders

Mini Football (9v9) 2026​​​​​​​

• 12th Grade born 2014

• 13th Grade born 2013

• U13 born 2013 or 2014

Need more clarification? For more detail, all Junior Football Rules are written out on Coachmate. Download free on iOS or Android. 

Retreat Line  - All grades

Retreat Line 2026

9v9 -  The retreating line is 30% of the field from the goalline.

7v7 - The retreating line is 30% of the field from the goalline.

5v5 - The retreating line is halfway

3v3 - The retreating line is halfway​​​​​​​

The retreating line isn't just a rule, it's a development tool. By giving the attacking team space to restart, we help players build confidence playing out from the back, and passing and receiving between defensive lines.

It's all about bringing the New Zealand football philosophy to life. Because the game evolves as players grow, the rules shift slightly across different age groups. Let's break it down.

Competition Structures - 2026