If you are a parent with a kid who loves football, with such a variety of different types of kids football clubs, it can be hard to know which will be the right option. In this guide, we will explain the different types of clubs out there, how they differ and how to find the one that is right for your kid.
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What is a kids football club?
A kids football club is an organised group that offers regular football training to children, with most clubs/training groups breaking up into specific age groups to keep the training age appropriate.
The approach for the training differs from club to club, with some focusing much more on making the training fun and others being very structured and focused on developing the skills of the children. In broader terms, most clubs fall into one of two categories:
- Competitive, leagued based clubs
- Development-focussed clubs
Competitive league-based clubs are the traditional grassroots model, with the clubs usually volunteer-led and affiliated to their local County FA. They have weekly training sessions, with weekly fixtures, fixed squads and team selection.
Development-focused clubs concentrate on individual skills, such as ball control, and usually do not have league matches or team selection. This means every child gets equal time on the ball, during training sessions and small-sided games.
They are two very different approaches which suit different children at different stages of their life and football training. Many families decide to combine the two but understanding the differences makes it easier to compare the football clubs near you and choose one that works best for your kid.
What types of kids football clubs are there?
There are a many different types of football clubs and, in the table below, we will look at how they differ:
| Type of Club: | Typical ages: | Main focus: | Competitive matches: | Commitment level: |
| Grassroots club | 4/5 to 18 | Team play, league football | Yes, weekly | Medium to high |
| Academy | 8+ but need to attend trials and be selected | Elite development | Yes | Very high |
| Skills school | 3 to 16 | Technique, ball mastery | Limited | Low to medium |
| Futsal club | 5+ | Close control, quick decisions | Small-sided games but more for skills development | Medium |
| School club | School age | Fun, participation | Occasional | Low |
| Holiday camp | 4 to 17 | Fun, skill taster | Rarely | Very low |
Which type of kids football club suits my child?
The table above is a good starting point for really considering how committed your child is/wants to be to football.
If it’s their goal/dream to play in the Premier League, starting at a skills school or futsal club, like Brazilian Soccer Schools, and then going for a trial at an academy is a good pathway.
If it’s more for fun or to just give it a try, a school club or holiday camp might be a better fit.
How do match formats change as children get older?
In England, younger children play in small-side games and, as they get older they move up to larger sided games until reaching 11v11. From the 2026/27 seasons, changes have been made to the formats to improve the experience for all the young players. The changes and new formats can be seen in the table below:
| Age: | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 |
| Under 7 | 5v5 | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 | 3v3 |
| Under 8 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 |
| Under 9 | 7v7 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 | 5v5 |
| Under 10 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 |
| Under 11 | 9v9 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 | 7v7 |
| Under 12 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 |
| Under 13 | 11v11 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 | 9v9 |
| Under 14 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 |
| 14+ | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 | 11v11 |
The 3v3 is an entirely new format and moving up to a larger format has been pushed back a year.
What should parents look for when choosing a club?
One of the most important things when looking for a club is that you find one that works for your kid. There is no point pushing them to try out for an academy if they just want to play football for fun.
Once you think you have found the right club, you should check to make sure that all the coaches are qualified and that there is clear safeguarding for your children, including DBS checks on all coaches and within the environment your child will be training in.
You should also ask about the training method and session sizes to make sure that it will work for your kid. Most clubs will offer some type of free taster session so they should be able to give it a try without any worries about losing money.
Book a free taster session at your local BSS club
Where does a skills-based programme, like BSS, fit in?
A skills based programme, like what we offer a BSS, focuses on technique and ball mastery rather than league results so these work very well alongside grassroots clubs or as a first step into football.
At BSS, we use futsal as the basis of a training as it leads to a great deal more touches of the ball, due to the smaller pitch, smaller, heavier ball and smaller sides. This leads to development of highly skilled players, such as Micah Richards and Abby Toweres, two BSS graduates.
Can children join more than one type of club?
Yes, they can and, often, being within two different types of club for example, grassroots and skills-based, can really benefit your kid as the two clubs will sharpen their skills in different ways.
The most important thing is that they can attend both clubs whilst leaving plenty of time for rest. At BSS, we recommended children come to 1-3 sessions per week. If this were combined with a weekend game at a grassroots club, this would still leave plenty of rest day.
Types of Kids Football Clubs Explained
There are a variety of kids football clubs and they each serve a different purpose. It is important that you find the one that is right for your kid but, often, there is no singular right choice. Many children end up attending a couple that work alongside each other, such as a grassroots club and a skills-based programme.
One of the best ways to figure out if the club is right for your kid is to attend a taster session. At most places, including BSS, these are free to attend, allowing you to see if the sessions are the right fit for your kid.