What Size Football Should I Buy?
Knowing what is the best size football has never been easier with our comprehensive with our football size guide. The size of football used by youth players has been updated and the information issued by The FA came into effect on the 1st June 2020. On this date, the new guidance on heading a football by youth players came into effect and had an impact on the size of football used by the under 10 age group.
New heading guidance was introduced to reduce the amount of head injuries in players as they got older. Reports suggest, heading at a young age when not fully developed, can increase the risk of long term head injuries. This makes perfect sense and clearly helps football coaches plan sessions and develop their players, into better footballers. With this new information the following is the current sizes for each age group
| Age Group | Age Of Player | Size of Football |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 Years | Ages 3 and 4 | Size 2 (Midi) |
| Under 6 | Aged 5 | Size 3 |
| Under 7 | Aged 6 | Size 3 |
| Under 8 | Aged 7 | Size 3 |
| Under 9 | Aged 8 | Size 3 |
| Under 10 | Aged 9 | Size 3 |
| Under 11 | Aged 10 | Size 4 |
| Under 12 | Aged 11 | Size 4 |
| Under 13 | Aged 12 | Size 4 |
| Under 14 | Aged 13 | Size 4 |
| Under 15 | Aged 14 | Size 5 |
| Under 16 and up | Aged 15+ | Size 5 |
What Age Do Players Start using A Size 4 Football?
Players From age 5 through to age 9 must use a size 3 football which encourages development of their football skills, without putting stresses onto their early stage growth. As players move from age 9 to age 10 they then move on to a size 4 ball. There isn’t a massive difference in the actual size but it does help with transition through to the full sized, size 5 ball when reaching age 14. So using the best size football for your game is vital to get the best performance and development appropriate for your age.
Why Are The Football Ages Incorrect On My Football?
When you are buying a new football the size printed on the ball should be correct. Every ball manufacturer prints the size of football near to or around the valve opening. This will, in most cases, show the age ranges too. Please refer to the size guide table above to make sure you are using the correct size.
The balls manufactured prior to 1st June 2020 will have the old size range printed on the ball and this can cause some issues when clubs still have old stock in use. Information printed on the ball was correct when manufactured but obviously is now outdated following the guidance change in 2020. All footballs manufactured after this date will have the current guidance printed on them. As for balls printed prior to 1/June/2020, will have the old information.
I hope you found the football size guide useful, however you may still need more information on budget footballs or match footballs. If so, our Ultimate Football Buying Guide can help you choose the best brand and model.
