Future Fit Update: Get The Right Size Football For Your Child's Age from Season 2026-27 Onwards In England

Our guide on choosing the right size football has helped thousands of parents and coaches over the last few years. However, as part of the FA’s new ‘Future Fit’ strategy, lots of the rules are changing in England to make the game simpler and more effective for player development, and the football size hasn't escaped the evolution.

Starting from the 2026/27 season in England, the FA is aligning ball sizes with match formats. This means no more overlapping sizes; the ball size now stays the same as long as the format does.

The Simplified 2026/27 Guide

The rule is now clear: One Format = One Ball Size.

What’s New?

The biggest shift is the alignment. In previous years, you might have seen a mix of Size 3s and 4s within the 7v7 format. Under the new Future Fit guidelines:

• Size 3 for longer: Players now stay on a Size 3 ball through the entire "foundation" phase, all the way to the end of Under 11s. This ensures they master technical skills on a ball proportional to their size.
• Format-Specific: You won't use a Size 4 or 5 in 11-a-side anymore—the jump to the full-size ball and the full-size pitch (11v11) now happens simultaneously at Under 14.
• Secondary School Shift: The transition to 9v9 (Size 4) now aligns with the start of secondary school (Year 7), making the step up easier for kids to track.

If your child plays specifically girls' football and not mixed, you will find that they often move up ball sizes a year later as well.

Is it time for an upgrade?

If your child or team is moving into Under 12 (Year 7) or Under 14 (Year 9) next season, they will be moving up a ball size. To help them adjust to the new weight and feel before their first match, it's a great idea to get them practising with the new size now.

Shop By Size: Explore our range of Size 3, 4, and 5 training and match footballs here!