SSF Formats in 2010


SSG is now called SSF!

The original Small Sided Games (SSG) name has been used by KDSA since we pioneered the concept in 2006. Since 2009, all Football Federation Australia (FFA) material refers to it as Small Sided Football (SSF) so to be consistent we will refer to it as SSF too.

FFA has announced a revised SSF plan and KDSA will be implementing it in full in 2010. Here are the key details:
Playing Format U6-7 U8-9 U10-11
Player Numbers 4v4 7v7 9v9
Field Size 30x20m 40x30m 60x40m
Goal Size 2x1m 3x2m 5x2m
Ball Size
 Size 3
 Size 3
 Size 4
Goalie No
 Yes Yes
Playing Time
 2x15min
 2x20min
 2x25min
Half Time Break
 5min
 5min
 5min
Throw-in/Kick-in Kick-in Throw-in Throw-in
Offside No No No


Key SSF rule changes for 2010
  • U6-7: Half-way (rather than goal line) restart after a goal is scored.
  • U6-7: No corners – goal line restart regardless of which team touched the ball last. Opposing team back to half-way line.
  • U10-11: No offside, but the referee can move players blatantly put in offside positions. Compared with 2009, this explicitly gives the referee the authority to move players out of offside positions. Coaches are encouraged to make their players aware of offside at training and to play this way in game situations. Offside will still occur during games but the intention is to preempt blatant situations and not to penalise marginal situations.

Equipment changes for 2010
  • U10 is now Size 4 ball (in 2009 U10 was Size 3 ball).
  • U8 is now the same format as U9 with fixed goal posts (in 2009 U8 had small portable goals with no goalies).