U8 football session plans and drills for 5v5

U8 at a glance

Match format: 5v5 at most
Ball: Size 3
Heading in training: None
Restarts: Pass-in or dribble-in
Adults: One for every six players, never fewer than two

Updated for FA FutureFit 2026/27.

Last updated: 18 October 2026

Three U8 practices

Practice 1 · 10 min

Dribbling: stop and go on the coach's call

Traffic lights

Players tonight

Set up

Every player has a ball, inside the square marked by the four corner cones. They dribble anywhere in the square. You call a colour. Green is go, amber is slow. Red means stop the ball, foot on top.

10 players, 10 balls, 2 adults

Keep the ball close and stop it when you need to.

Set up

Mark a 18 x 18 m square with a cone on each corner. Every player has a ball and starts inside it.

Who goes where

Players: 10, in the square.

How to play

Everyone dribbles around the square.
You call a colour: green is go, amber is slow, red is stop the ball with your foot on top.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Dribble anywhere in the square. Green means go, amber means slow. Red means stop your ball with your foot on top.

Say while it runs

Little touches, keep it near your feet.

Praise it when the ball stays close enough to touch every step
Put your foot on top to stop it.

Praise it when the sole of the foot lands on top of the ball

Ask at the drink Which part of your foot stops the ball best?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If they stop the ball easily, add blue for turn and go the other way.
Too hard: If balls run away on red, make the square 4 m smaller so they dribble slower.

Practice 2 · 10 min

Passing: knock the cones down

Knock the cones down

Players tonight

Set up

The Reds pass from the end line nearest us. The Blues pass from the far end line. They aim at the tall cones standing across the middle. A point for every cone a team knocks over.

10 players, 10 balls, 2 adults

Pass the ball with the inside of the foot to hit a target.

Set up

Mark a 14 x 12 m area. Stand 5 tall cones in a line across the middle, 1 m apart. Reds on one end line, Blues on the other, a ball each.

Who goes where

Reds: 3 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 3 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

Players pass from their own line to knock a cone over.
When the balls are all in the middle, call collect.
Everyone fetches one and goes back to their line.
A point for every cone your team knocks over.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, you pass from this line. Blues, you pass from that one. Knock over as many cones as you can.

Say while it runs

Point your standing foot at the cone.

Praise it when the standing foot points at the cone
Use the inside of your foot.

Praise it when the inside of the foot meets the middle of the ball

Ask at the drink Where does your standing foot point when you pass?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If they hit cones every time, move both lines back 2 m.
Too hard: If they miss most cones, move both lines 2 m closer.

Pass the ball with the inside of the foot to hit a target.

Set up

Mark a 16 x 12 m area. Stand 6 tall cones in a line across the middle, 1 m apart. Reds on one end line, Blues on the other, a ball each.

Who goes where

Reds: 4 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 4 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

Players pass from their own line to knock a cone over.
When the balls are all in the middle, call collect.
Everyone fetches one and goes back to their line.
A point for every cone your team knocks over.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, you pass from this line. Blues, you pass from that one. Knock over as many cones as you can.

Say while it runs

Point your standing foot at the cone.

Praise it when the standing foot points at the cone
Use the inside of your foot.

Praise it when the inside of the foot meets the middle of the ball

Ask at the drink Where does your standing foot point when you pass?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If they hit cones every time, move both lines back 2 m.
Too hard: If they miss most cones, move both lines 2 m closer.

Pass the ball with the inside of the foot to hit a target.

Set up

Mark a 18 x 12 m area. Stand 7 tall cones in a line across the middle, 1 m apart. Reds on one end line, Blues on the other, a ball each.

Who goes where

Reds: 5 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 5 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

Players pass from their own line to knock a cone over.
When the balls are all in the middle, call collect.
Everyone fetches one and goes back to their line.
A point for every cone your team knocks over.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, you pass from this line. Blues, you pass from that one. Knock over as many cones as you can.

Say while it runs

Point your standing foot at the cone.

Praise it when the standing foot points at the cone
Use the inside of your foot.

Praise it when the inside of the foot meets the middle of the ball

Ask at the drink Where does your standing foot point when you pass?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If they hit cones every time, move both lines back 2 m.
Too hard: If they miss most cones, move both lines 2 m closer.

Pass the ball with the inside of the foot to hit a target.

Set up

Mark a 20 x 12 m area. Stand 8 tall cones in a line across the middle, 1 m apart. Reds on one end line, Blues on the other, a ball each.

Who goes where

Reds: 6 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 6 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

Players pass from their own line to knock a cone over.
When the balls are all in the middle, call collect.
Everyone fetches one and goes back to their line.
A point for every cone your team knocks over.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, you pass from this line. Blues, you pass from that one. Knock over as many cones as you can.

Say while it runs

Point your standing foot at the cone.

Praise it when the standing foot points at the cone
Use the inside of your foot.

Praise it when the inside of the foot meets the middle of the ball

Ask at the drink Where does your standing foot point when you pass?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If they hit cones every time, move both lines back 2 m.
Too hard: If they miss most cones, move both lines 2 m closer.

Pass the ball with the inside of the foot to hit a target.

Set up

Mark a 22 x 12 m area. Stand 9 tall cones in a line across the middle, 1 m apart. Reds on one end line, Blues on the other, a ball each.

Who goes where

Reds: 7 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 7 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

Players pass from their own line to knock a cone over.
When the balls are all in the middle, call collect.
Everyone fetches one and goes back to their line.
A point for every cone your team knocks over.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, you pass from this line. Blues, you pass from that one. Knock over as many cones as you can.

Say while it runs

Point your standing foot at the cone.

Praise it when the standing foot points at the cone
Use the inside of your foot.

Praise it when the inside of the foot meets the middle of the ball

Ask at the drink Where does your standing foot point when you pass?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If they hit cones every time, move both lines back 2 m.
Too hard: If they miss most cones, move both lines 2 m closer.

Practice 3 · 10 min

Dribbling: bring the treasure home

Treasure hunt

Players tonight

Set up

Reds have the square of cones at the far end. Blues have the square nearest us. The treasure is the circle of balls in the middle. The team with most balls in its base wins.

10 players, 10 balls, 2 adults

Dribble with your head up to find a ball and keep it.

Set up

Mark a 14 x 18 m area. Mark a 4 x 4 m base at each end. Put 6 balls in a circle in the middle. Reds have one base, Blues the other.

Who goes where

Reds: 3 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 3 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

On go, everyone dribbles a ball from the middle back to their base.
When the middle is empty, take a ball from the other team's base and dribble it home.
The team with the most balls in its base when you stop wins.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, your base is that end. Blues, yours is this end. Dribble the treasure home, one ball at a time.

Say while it runs

Look up to find a ball.

Praise it when their head comes up between touches
Keep your body between the ball and the others.

Praise it when their back turns to anyone who comes close

Ask at the drink When is the best time to look up?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If one team wins easily, make the bases 2 m smaller.
Too hard: If players bump into each other, make the area 4 m longer.

Dribble with your head up to find a ball and keep it.

Set up

Mark a 16 x 20 m area. Mark a 4 x 4 m base at each end. Put 8 balls in a circle in the middle. Reds have one base, Blues the other.

Who goes where

Reds: 4 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 4 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

On go, everyone dribbles a ball from the middle back to their base.
When the middle is empty, take a ball from the other team's base and dribble it home.
The team with the most balls in its base when you stop wins.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, your base is that end. Blues, yours is this end. Dribble the treasure home, one ball at a time.

Say while it runs

Look up to find a ball.

Praise it when their head comes up between touches
Keep your body between the ball and the others.

Praise it when their back turns to anyone who comes close

Ask at the drink When is the best time to look up?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If one team wins easily, make the bases 2 m smaller.
Too hard: If players bump into each other, make the area 4 m longer.

Dribble with your head up to find a ball and keep it.

Set up

Mark a 18 x 22 m area. Mark a 4 x 4 m base at each end. Put 10 balls in a circle in the middle. Reds have one base, Blues the other.

Who goes where

Reds: 5 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 5 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

On go, everyone dribbles a ball from the middle back to their base.
When the middle is empty, take a ball from the other team's base and dribble it home.
The team with the most balls in its base when you stop wins.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, your base is that end. Blues, yours is this end. Dribble the treasure home, one ball at a time.

Say while it runs

Look up to find a ball.

Praise it when their head comes up between touches
Keep your body between the ball and the others.

Praise it when their back turns to anyone who comes close

Ask at the drink When is the best time to look up?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If one team wins easily, make the bases 2 m smaller.
Too hard: If players bump into each other, make the area 4 m longer.

Dribble with your head up to find a ball and keep it.

Set up

Mark a 20 x 24 m area. Mark a 4 x 4 m base at each end. Put 12 balls in a circle in the middle. Reds have one base, Blues the other.

Who goes where

Reds: 6 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 6 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

On go, everyone dribbles a ball from the middle back to their base.
When the middle is empty, take a ball from the other team's base and dribble it home.
The team with the most balls in its base when you stop wins.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, your base is that end. Blues, yours is this end. Dribble the treasure home, one ball at a time.

Say while it runs

Look up to find a ball.

Praise it when their head comes up between touches
Keep your body between the ball and the others.

Praise it when their back turns to anyone who comes close

Ask at the drink When is the best time to look up?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If one team wins easily, make the bases 2 m smaller.
Too hard: If players bump into each other, make the area 4 m longer.

Dribble with your head up to find a ball and keep it.

Set up

Mark a 22 x 26 m area. Mark a 4 x 4 m base at each end. Put 14 balls in a circle in the middle. Reds have one base, Blues the other.

Who goes where

Reds: 7 in red bibs, in the area.
Blues: 7 in blue bibs, in the area.

How to play

On go, everyone dribbles a ball from the middle back to their base.
When the middle is empty, take a ball from the other team's base and dribble it home.
The team with the most balls in its base when you stop wins.

Coaching points

Say this to start

Reds, your base is that end. Blues, yours is this end. Dribble the treasure home, one ball at a time.

Say while it runs

Look up to find a ball.

Praise it when their head comes up between touches
Keep your body between the ball and the others.

Praise it when their back turns to anyone who comes close

Ask at the drink When is the best time to look up?

Five minutes in

Too easy: If one team wins easily, make the bases 2 m smaller.
Too hard: If players bump into each other, make the area 4 m longer.

How a U8 session runs

0-8Arrival game. Children join in as they turn up, so nobody waits.
8-18First practice on tonight's theme.
18-28Second practice, same theme, a bit harder. Drinks at the change.
28-45Small games of 3v3, so everyone is on the ball.

What changes for U8s in 2026/27

U8 doesn't change. It's 5v5 at most, as before. What changed is either side of it. U7 now plays 3v3, and U9 drops from 7v7 to 5v5, so your players stay at 5v5 for two seasons.

Read the FA's FutureFit changes

When fewer players turn up

Keep the theme and change the shape. Shrink the area and the teams so nobody stands waiting. Each practice above redraws for the number you pick.

How to adapt training when fewer players arrive

On match day the question is minutes, not drills. Make a 5v5 team sheet that shares the minutes

U8 coaching questions

What format do U8s play in 2026/27?

Under the FA's FutureFit changes for 2026/27, a U8 match is 5v5 at most, the same as U9. The format is a ceiling for matches. In training, smaller games such as 3v3 and 4v4 are fine and often better, because each child gets more touches. Your league handbook confirms the format your league plays.

What size ball do under 8s use?

A size 3. FA guidance is size 3 from U5 to U11, size 4 from U12 to U13 and size 5 from U14 to U16. Ask each family to bring a ball if you can. A practice where every child has one runs better than one where they share a bag.

Can U8s head the ball in training?

No. FA guidance is no heading in training up to and including U11. Bibs On checks every U8 plan against that rule, so no practice asks for a header. From U12, training allows one session a week, up to 5 headers, unopposed. The FA reviews this each season, so check the current guidance before your season starts.

How long should a U8 training session be?

The FA doesn't set a length. Bibs On plans a U8 session at 45 minutes unless you change it. Keep each practice short. Start with an arrival activity so nobody stands waiting, and finish with a game. Take drinks when you change practices and skip separate breaks.

What should a U8 session include?

An arrival activity children can join as they turn up, one or two practices on a single theme, and a game at the end. The FA sets out each practice as set-up, how to play, coaching tips and progressions. At U8, a game that plays as a story keeps them listening, with one rule per game.

How many adults do I need for a U8 session?

NSPCC guidance for this age is one adult for every six children, and the FA asks for at least two adults at every session. So 12 players need two adults and 13 need three. Bibs On works this out from the headcount you enter and tells you when you're an adult short.

What if only half my U8s turn up?

Keep the theme and change the shape. With fewer players you shrink the area and the teams, so everyone stays involved. The practices on this page redraw for 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 players. For a worked example with equipment and changes, read our guide to adapting training when fewer players arrive.

How to adapt training when fewer players arrive

What are good drills for U8 football?

Games where every child has a ball or is close to one, such as traffic lights, knock the cones down and treasure hunt. Avoid drills with lines and queues. Each practice on this page shows where every child stands before you put a cone down.

Should U8 games be stories?

They can be, up to U8. A game that plays as a story, such as traffic lights or a treasure hunt, keeps young players listening. Give each game one rule, tell the story in a sentence or two, then let them play. From U9, use plain football words instead.

Are these U8 session plans free?

Yes. You can read and print the three practices on this page for free. Bibs On can also build a session for your exact numbers, age and theme. Free gives you a free session every week for your first two weeks, then 1 new session and 3 drills a month. Pro is £4.99 a month.