Which Variation of Football is Right for You?

We’re all missing grassroots football at the moment. Whether you’re a player, coach or supporter there’s a big gap to fill every weekend.

And when it is back, we reckon as many of you as possible should be getting involved. If you’ve been a bit fed up and bored through lockdown, it’s a brilliant way to get yourself back up and running socially and have a laugh with the lads/lasses. Plus, there’s no better way to shed a few of those extra lockdown and Christmas pounds.

Whether you’ve never played in a team before, or you’re returning to the game after a number of years there are loads of routes into football. It’s an incredibly inclusive and accessible sport. Whatever your ability level, gender, race, age or background there’re always opportunities for you to play.

But which variation of the sport is the right one for you? There are a number of different ways in which the beautiful game is played and we’re going to walk you through them.

This is the most common and traditional version of the game. It’s what we see on our TV screens. Except at grassroots level you’ll have to live without things like fancy changing rooms, million pound sponsorship deals and VAR (thankfully).

Grassroots 11-a-side football is usually played on Saturdays and Sundays in parks, playing fields and sports centres all over the country. It’s arguably the purest form of the game and is played on a full sized pitch for 90 minutes (45 minutes a half). It usually starts at the age group of U13 and works it’s way all the way up to adult football.

It doesn’t have to be time consuming either. Many of us live busy lifestyles and unfortunately can’t dedicate too much time to football. Some 11-a-side teams have one training session midweek, some don’t train at all and just play on the weekend.

Whatever your ability level and preferences are, there’ll be a team that’s perfect for you. It’s just about finding it. Many will have friends or family that already play in a team and get involved that way. But if you don’t, don’t worry. Your best bet is to get in touch with your local County FA. They know football in your area better than anyone and will be able to put you in touch with a team that’s right for you.

For more information on how to find yourself a football team. Give our article on “How to Find a Football Club” a read.

11-a-side football not quite for you? Don’t have the time? 5, 6 and 7-a-side football is what it says on the tin. It’s smaller sided football with shorter matches, played on a much smaller artificial pitch.

Small sided football has flourished in recent years. The busy lifestyles we all lead mean that time is increasingly precious. Most people, especially those with young families, don’t have half a day on a weekend to dedicate to football. To those people, an hour or so on a midweek evening seems much more palatable.

And for that reason small sided football, particularly 5-a-side, has flourished over the last decade. Millions of us take part in this form of the game every week and new small-sided football centres are popping up all over the country on a regular basis. Chances are, there’ll be one pretty much on your doorstep. And if there isn’t, there will be soon.

The short, sharp nature of the games also make it excellent exercise. Most matches are full of short sprints. So what you lose in duration, you make up for in intensity. You also get lots of touches on the ball, so it’s brilliant for improving your technique.

Whether it’s with a bunch of colleagues from work, course mates or old school friends. It’s a great way to combine having a laugh and burning calories, all in a competitive environment. And the beauty of it is, you don’t need that many people to get a team together.

There are several large operators of football centres. The biggest and most popular are probably Goals Soccer Centres and Leisure Leagues. Check out their websites or have a Google to find your nearest location.

Many of you may have heard of Futsal but don’t really know what it is. Well let us tell you. Futsal, derived from street football, is a version of the game which is very popular in South America and Mediterranean Europe. It’s similar to 5-a-side but played with a smaller, heavier ball. Another key factor is a much greater focus on individual skill and close ball control.

Futsal is often credited as being the reason we see so many players with flair and technique coming out of Brazil. The likes of Ronaldinho, Neymar, Phillipe Coutinho and many more all claim to owe their ability to growing up playing Futsal. Oh, and not to forget some bloke from Argentina called Lionel Messi too…

The success of many of the sport’s former players has seen it’s popularity grow outside of it’s traditional hotbeds. The UK has a blossoming Futsal scene. Wolves defender Max Kilman recently became the first Engand Futsal International to play in the Premier League. With him now a regular fixture at Molineux, it should be expected that the sport will grow further, with youngsters looking to follow in his footsteps.

The explosion in popularity of Futsal means that it’s now easier than ever to get involved. Jump on The FA’s website or contact your local County FA to find your nearest club or league.

Want to find out more about Futsal? We did a feature on our blog all about it a few years ago. Click here and enjoy.

Walking football has been the fastest growing area of the sport in recent years. It’s basically what it sounds like. A small sided game of football, where the players walk instead of run. It’s seen as the perfect way for people who have long since stopped playing due to age or injury, to get back into the sport they love at a more leisurely pace.

Whilst you may start to lose your speed, reactions and hair; those who’ve spent a life involved in football never lose their passion for the game and the need for camaraderie. That’s where Walking Football comes in. Plus, as the cliché goes, you never lose your touch.

Fancy dusting off your boots? You can find more information and find a club on The Walking Football Association website.

More than 1 in 5 people in the UK live with a long-standing limiting disability, illness or condition. And there is absolutely no reason why those people shouldn’t get involved in the beautiful game.

Thankfully there has never been a better time than now to get involved in football, whatever your ability level may be. The FA has invested heavily in ensuring that football for people with disabilities is as accessible and inclusive as possible.

Whether you’re just looking to get involved on a casual level for the fun of the game or you fancy your chances of making it to one of England’s elite international disability teams, the opportunities and pathways are there for you.

For more information check out The FA’s website or get in touch with your local County FA.

Football is for everyone. And whatever you want to get out of the beautiful game, hopefully this article has helped you to figure out how and where to get it.

Grassroots football might be having a break. But it will be back. And it will be better than ever. Be part of it. Become part of the football family.