How Many Players on a Soccer Team?

How many players on a soccer team? It depends on the age of the team but typically it starts at six players and reaches to eleven by the time they are on the biggest sized field (usually 11 or 12 years of age).

For specific soccer positions, check out our article.

A professional match has two teams with a total of twenty-two players. How many players are on a youth soccer team? What about the high school soccer team? Today’s article will answer these questions and give you essential details. Read on!

The Number of Players on a Youth Soccer Team

A youth soccer team typically has six to nine players on a field at once. The number of players depends on various factors, including the age group and organization they are playing with.

The United States Youth Soccer Association is a reputable and authoritative organization in America. It has defined rules, standards, regulations, and protocols for each age group.

According to the Youth Soccer Association:

• Under-six (U6), under-seven (U7), and under-eight (U8): 4 players and no goalkeeper
• Under-nine (U9) and under-ten (U10): 7 players including goalkeeper
• Under-eleven (U11) and twelve (U12): 9 players including goalkeeper
• Under-thirteen (U13) and older: 11 players including goalkeeper

A youth team with six to nine players has a match duration of between 40 and 50 minutes. High-school soccer teams have eleven players and can play for 90 minutes. The same is true for college soccer, MLS, and international soccer.

The Number of Players on a High School Soccer Team

A high school soccer team has eleven players on the pitch. The number of players on a soccer team representing a high school is the same as the number of players on a professional team. Each team member has a specific role on the field.

In addition, the size of the soccer field is larger than that of the youth soccer field. It is somewhat similar to the size of a professional soccer field.

How Many Player Substitutions are in Youth Soccer?

Goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards are the four positions in youth soccer. Depending on the league, there may be specific substitution rules that a team must follow. For example, u14 MLS Next teams can sub off players at any time but the player who gets subbed off can’t go back in that half. As a coach, it’s important to understand and know the expectations of the league. As a player, the best thing you can do is not worry about substitutions but play your hardest when you’re on the field and be ready if you are on the bench.