9v9 Soccer Formations and Positions

9v9 soccer formations compared

9v9 is eight field players plus a goalkeeper. (Our guide to how many players are on a soccer team lists the numbers for every age and format.) Formation numbers count from the back and leave out the keeper. Coming from 7v7, the easy step is to add one defender and one more attacking player: the 2-3-1 your players know becomes a 3-3-2 or a 3-2-3. If you're still in 7v7, see our 7v7 soccer formations.

3-2-3 formation

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Shape: a back three, two midfielders, and a front three of left wing, striker and right wing.

• Strengths: width in attack. The wingers stretch the other team across a 45–55 yard field, and three forwards can press high. The front three also previews the front line of an 11v11 4-3-3.
• Weaknesses: only two midfielders, so a 3-3-2 or 3-4-1 can outnumber you in the middle. Wingers must track back.
• Best for: teams that like to attack and have players with the energy to cover the wings.
• Key role: the two midfielders. They need to stay connected to each other and to the back three.

3-3-2 formation

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Shape: a back three, a flat midfield three (left, center, right) and two forwards.

• Strengths: balanced, with a center midfielder to link play and natural triangles all over the field. Two forwards can work as a pair.
• Weaknesses: less width in attack, so the wide midfielders cover a lot of ground. The forwards can get isolated if the midfield sits back.
• Best for: first-year 9v9 (U11) teams. It's the closest step up from a 7v7 2-3-1.
• Key role: the wide midfielders, who support both the forwards and the outside backs.

2-3-2-1 formation

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Shape: two backs, a midfield three with a holding player in the center, two attacking midfielders, and one striker.

• Strengths: five midfielders make it easy to keep the ball and find a free teammate.
• Weaknesses: only two defenders on a wide field, so fast wingers and quick counterattacks can hurt. The striker is on their own.
• Best for: skilled, confident U12 teams that pass well and track back.
• Key role: the holding midfielder, who protects the two backs.

4-3-1 formation

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Shape: a back four (left back, two center backs, right back), a midfield three and a lone striker.

• Strengths: the most defensive shape here. Four defenders cover the width, and it teaches the back four used in 11v11 shapes like the 4-3-3 and 4-4-2.
• Weaknesses: few players in attack, so scoring is harder. The striker needs midfielders and outside backs to join in.
• Best for: teams that concede a lot, games against stronger opponents, and teams with outside backs who like to get forward.
• Key role: the outside backs, who add width in attack when the team has the ball.

3-1-3-1 formation

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Shape: a back three, a holding midfielder, a line of three (left, attacking and right midfielder) and a striker.

• Strengths: the holding midfielder shields the defense, and the attacking midfielder links with the striker. Lots of short passing options.
• Weaknesses: one holding midfielder has to cover the whole middle in defense, and the striker can be outnumbered.
• Best for: second-year 9v9 teams with a player who reads the game well in the holding role.
• Key role: the holding midfielder. Rotate this spot so several players learn it.

3-4-1 formation

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Shape: a back three, a midfield four (two wide, two central) and one striker.

• Strengths: four midfielders control the middle and both wings, which makes it hard for opponents to keep the ball.
• Weaknesses: one forward means few players in the box. The wide midfielders have the biggest running load on the team, and a flat four can be split by a good pass.
• Best for: teams with lots of capable midfielders and a striker who can hold the ball up.
• Key role: the two central midfielders, who take turns joining the attack.

Marking a field? See 9v9 field dimensions. Moving up to 11v11 at U13? Compare 11v11 soccer formations such as the 4-3-3.

9v9 soccer positions explained

9v9 soccer positions are the same four groups as 7v7, with more players in each line and the first real wingers.

Keep rotating at U11–U12. Players who try several spots understand the whole field, and it keeps playing time fair. Our youth soccer positions guide has a simple rotation plan.

Where to put newer players

Give a newer player a spot with help nearby. In a 3-3-2 or 3-4-1, a wide midfield role has an outside back behind and a central midfielder inside. On the back line, an outside back next to a confident center back works well. Hold off on the jobs where one player covers a lot of ground alone, such as the holding midfielder in a 3-1-3-1 or 2-3-2-1, or the lone striker in a 4-3-1. Then spread experienced players across your sub groups so every window has a steady defender and someone calm on the ball. Our tips on balancing each lineup without labeling kids show how.

9v9 rules that affect your formation

US Soccer's small-sided standards for U11–U12 change a few things from 7v7:

• No build-out line. The build-out line is not required in 9v9, so opponents don't have to retreat when your keeper has the ball. Teams that build out from the back need defenders who can receive under pressure.
• Full offside. The normal offside law applies from the halfway line, as in 11v11. Forwards and wingers have to time their runs.
• Heading. No heading in U11 games or practice; a header in a game gives the other team an indirect free kick. At U12, heading is allowed in games, with practice limited to 30 minutes a week and 15–20 headers per player per week.
• Bigger field. 70–80 × 45–55 yards, up from 55–65 × 35–45 in 7v7. See our soccer field dimensions guide.
• Game and roster. Two 30-minute halves, a 10-minute halftime and no added time. Unlimited substitutions at any stoppage. Recommended rosters of no more than 16 (AYSO caps U11–U12 at 12), and a game can't start or continue with fewer than 6 players.

Turn the shape into practice with U12 soccer drills.

Printable 9v9 formation sheets

Need a printable 3-3-2 soccer formation or any other 9v9 lineup? Every formation on this page has a Print or edit link that opens it in our lineup maker with 9v9 already set. Add names, then print the sheet or save it as a PDF. Jump straight to a sheet:

• Printable 3-3-2 formation, 3-2-3, 2-3-2-1, 4-3-1, 3-1-3-1 or 3-4-1.
• Prefer pen and paper? The lineup maker's printable lineup templates include a blank 9v9 sheet with the positions marked.
• For the bench, the ready-made 9v9 substitution charts show who plays and who sits in every window.

Sub plan for a 9v9 formation

A typical 9v9 game is two 30-minute halves. With 12 players and a sub every 7:30, there are eight windows (subs at 7:30, 15:00 and 22:30 of each half, plus halftime), three players sit each window, and each keeper plays one half in goal. Eight windows split evenly between 12 players, so everyone plays exactly 45 minutes (75% of the game). No field player sits two windows in a row; each keeper gets one longer rest around their half in goal. Here's the full rotation in a 3-2-3:

Prefer round numbers on the clock? A sub every 5 minutes also gives everyone 45 minutes, with shorter rests, while every 6 minutes splits the team into 48 and 42 minutes. Our youth substitution strategy guide shows a simple four-window version too.