What are the rules for women and girls playing grassroots football in England, from Under 7 to open age? Mixed teams, age groups and formats, playing down, registration and transfers, heading, and cautions and sendings-off.
Yes. Under FA Rule J3 (2026/27 FA Handbook), players in a match must normally be the same biological sex, except:
So once you're past Under 18, open-age football is played in women's teams and competitions, apart from FA-authorised mixed adult competitions.
Mixed teams follow the same formats, laws and age-group rules as everyone else in that age group.
Yes. Mixed football is allowed in every age group from Under 7 to Under 18 (FA Rule J3), so an all-girls team can enter a mixed youth league.
Under Rule 4(F) of The FA's Standard Code of Rules for Mini Soccer and Youth Football (2026/27), an all-female team can apply to play one age group down in a mixed-gender competition, provided:
Rule 18(C) of the same code confirms that girls in all-female teams may be permitted to play an age group down under this rule. This is an option the team applies for, not an automatic right, and the league and County FA decide.
Under FA Rules C157 to C161 (2026/27 FA Handbook), your age group is set by your age at midnight on 31 August at the start of the season:
| Age on 31 August | Age group |
|---|---|
| 6 (or turning 6 during the season) | Under 7 |
| 7 | Under 8 |
| 8 | Under 9 |
| and so on up to 17 | Under 18 |
From 2026/27 The FA's new youth formats (part of "FutureFit") apply to girls' and boys' football alike. These are the maximum formats in the FA Standard Code of Rules for Mini Soccer and Youth Football; leagues can play smaller formats.
| Age group | Max format | Ball | Max match length | Recommended goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 7 | 3v3 | Size 3 | 10 min | 4ft x 2.5ft |
| Under 8, Under 9 | 5v5 | Size 3 | 40 min | 12ft x 6ft |
| Under 10, Under 11 | 7v7 | Size 3 | 50 min | 12ft x 6ft |
| Under 12, Under 13 | 9v9 | Size 4 | 60 min | 16ft x 7ft |
| Under 14 | 11v11 | Size 5 | 70 min | 21ft x 7ft (24ft x 8ft allowed) |
| Under 15 | 11v11 | Size 5 | 70 min | 24ft x 8ft (21ft x 7ft allowed) |
| Under 16 | 11v11 | Size 5 | 80 min | 24ft x 8ft |
| Under 17, Under 18 | 11v11 | Size 5 | 90 min | 24ft x 8ft |
Key differences by stage:
Your age group is based on your age on 31 August at the start of the season.
Under FA Rule C163 (2026/27 FA Handbook), you must be at least 16 to play in an open-age (adult) competition. That includes women's leagues.
Under The FA's Standard Codes of Rules (2026/27 FA Handbook):
Registering with more than one club
Youth leagues can charge a registration fee of up to £10 per player.
These are the rules in The FA's Standard Codes of Rules (2026/27 FA Handbook). The youth code is mandatory for all mini-soccer and youth leagues. The open-age code is mandatory for women's leagues at Tier 7 and below of the Women's Pyramid, and for mixed adult competitions.
Other rules:
It depends on your age group. The same rules apply to girls and boys.
In matches (FA Rule O and the 2026/27 Mini-Soccer Handbook):
In training (England Football heading guidance):
| Age group | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Under 7 to Under 11 | No heading in training |
| Under 12 and Under 13 | Very low priority; at most one session a week, light balls, no more than 5 headers per player, self-served or short distance, always unopposed |
| Under 14 to Under 16 | At most one session a week with heading practice, no more than 10 headers per player per session |
| Under 18 and adult grassroots | At most one session a week with heading practice, no more than 10 headers per session |
In grassroots football (Saturday, Sunday and midweek leagues, including women's and girls' leagues below the FA Women's National League), cautions build up over the season under The FA's Disciplinary Regulations (2026/27 FA Handbook, Table 7):
| Cautions in the same football category | Reached by | Automatic suspension |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 31 December | 1 match |
| 10 | Second Sunday in April | 2 matches |
| 15 | Last day of the season | 3 matches |
| 20 | Last day of the season | You must attend a Disciplinary Commission, which decides the penalty (also for every 5 more) |
If you think you were cautioned in error because of mistaken identity, your club can make a claim to the County FA by 5pm on the third business day after the match, with evidence and a fee.
In grassroots football (Saturday, Sunday and midweek leagues, including women's and girls' leagues below the FA Women's National League), a sending-off brings an automatic suspension and fine under The FA's Disciplinary Regulations (2026/27 FA Handbook, Table 8):
| Sending-off offence | Suspension | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Denying a goal or obvious goal-scoring opportunity by handball | 1 match | £20 |
| Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by an offence punishable by a free kick | 1 match | £20 |
| Second caution in the same match | 1 match | £20 |
| Offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures | 2 matches | £30 |
| Serious foul play | 3 matches | £40 |
| Violent conduct | 3 matches | £40 |
| Spitting at an opponent or any other person | 6 matches | £40 |
The County FA can also bring a separate misconduct charge for serious incidents, which can lead to a longer suspension from all football.