7v7 Soccer Field Dimensions

7v7 soccer field size in yards, feet and meters

US Soccer's small-sided standards (the Player Development Initiatives) give the 7v7 field size for U9 and U10 as a range, so leagues can fit the space they have. AYSO uses the same range for its U9 and U10 divisions. The middle of the range, 60 × 40 yards, is the calculator's starting size.

US Soccer calls these recommended dimensions, so a league can set its own size. If yours publishes one, use it. For 4v4, 9v9 and full 11v11 sizes, see the soccer field dimensions guide.

7v7 field markings and diagram

These are US Soccer's recommended 7v7 field markings; AYSO lists the same numbers. Widths run along the goal line and depths run out into the field.

If you're measuring with a tape in feet or meters, here are the same markings converted:

Every box is smaller than on a full-size field. The 11v11 penalty area is 44 × 18 yards with the penalty mark 12 yards out, so a 7v7 penalty kick is taken 2 yards closer to goal.

The 7v7 build-out line

The build-out line is a dashed line across the field in each half. US Soccer's standards include it in 7v7 only, at U9 and U10. Because opponents have to drop back behind it, the goalkeeper and defenders get room to start play with a pass instead of a long kick.

Where the build-out line goes

The standards place the build-out line equidistant between the penalty area line and the halfway line. So its distance from the goal line depends on the length of your field: add 12 yards (the penalty area depth) to half the field length, then halve it.

Build-out line rules

• Opponents retreat. When the goalkeeper has the ball in their hands, or before a goal kick, the other team must move back behind the build-out line.
• No punts or drop kicks. If the goalkeeper punts or drop-kicks the ball, the other team gets an indirect free kick.
• Offside only beyond the line. Offside starts at U9, but in 7v7 it can be called only between the build-out line and the goal line. A player can't be offside between the halfway line and the build-out line.
• 7v7 only. US Soccer's FAQ says build-out lines are not required in 9v9, and AYSO also uses the line only for U9 and U10.

Some leagues run their own version, so check yours. Formations that split the defenders wide when the keeper has the ball work well with this rule; see 7v7 soccer formations and positions.

7v7 goal size

US Soccer recommends a 6.5 × 12 ft goal for 7v7: 6'6" tall and 12' wide, about 1.98 × 3.66 m. The maximum is 6.5 × 18.5 ft (6'6" × 18'6", about 1.98 × 5.64 m). US Soccer's FAQ says its goal sizes are maximums, so a smaller goal is fine. AYSO lists the same sizes for U9 and U10.

The 6.5 × 18.5 ft goal is also the recommended 9v9 size, so a club can use one set of goals from U9 to U12. Our soccer goal size guide covers every age group in feet and meters.

7v7 ball size, roster and game rules

The field is only part of the format. Here's the rest of US Soccer's 7v7 standard for U9–U10:

Not sure your child is in U9 or U10? The youth soccer age groups finder works it out from the birth date. For game day, print a 7v7 substitution chart for the bench.

How to lay out a 7v7 soccer field

You need a long tape measure, cones or flags, string and field paint. These steps use a 60 × 40 yard field; swap in your own numbers from the calculator.

1. Mark the first touchline. Set a corner flag, measure 60 yards (180 ft) along the side of your space, set a second flag and run a string between them.
2. Square the corner with the 3-4-5 rule. From the corner, measure 30 ft along the touchline and 40 ft along the line where the goal line will go. Move the second mark until the diagonal between the two marks is exactly 50 ft.
3. Mark the goal lines and the far touchline. Measure 40 yards (120 ft) along each goal line and join the two far corners.
4. Check the diagonals. Corner to opposite corner should be 72.1 yards (216 ft 4 in) both ways. If the two diagonals match, the field is square. On a 55 × 35 field the diagonal is 65.2 yards (195 ft 7 in); on a 65 × 45 field it's 79.1 yards (237 ft 2 in).
5. Mark the halfway line and center circle. The halfway line is 30 yards from each goal line. The center circle has an 8-yard (24 ft) radius.
6. Mark the boxes. Center them on the goal. On a 40-yard-wide field, the penalty area's sides start 8 yards in from each touchline and run 12 yards out. The goal area's sides start 16 yards in and run 4 yards out. Put the penalty mark 10 yards out, and draw the 8-yard penalty arc outside the box.
7. Dash the build-out lines across the field 21 yards from each goal line.
8. Set the goals. Center each goal on its goal line (a 12-foot goal leaves 18 yards to each touchline), then stake or weight it so it can't tip over.

How many 7v7 fields fit on a full-size field?

Turned crosswise, a 7v7 field's length runs across the width of a full-size field, and its width uses up part of the big field's length. So the full-size field must be at least 55 yards wide, and each 7v7 field takes 35 to 45 yards of its length. Here's the geometry for three common full-size fields:

The spare yards are what's left between the 7v7 touchlines for gaps, benches and spectators. Five yards spread over three fields leaves almost no room, so in practice that layout needs a longer field. Check your facility's own spacing rules.

Moving up at U11? The 9v9 soccer field dimensions page covers the bigger field, which has no build-out line.