5, 7 and 8-a-side football: how many players you need and which formations to use

The number in the format counts all the players on the pitch per team, goalkeeper included. So a game needs twice that many players, plus a few substitutes:

• 5-a-side: 10 players on the pitch, 5 per team. With 1 or 2 substitutes per team you can still play if someone gets tired or doesn't turn up.
• 6-a-side: 12 players. Handy when you're too many for 5-a-side and too few for 7-a-side.
• 7-a-side: 14 players. The most played format after 5-a-side: a bigger pitch, more room to run.
• 8-a-side: 16 players. Very common in amateur tournaments.
• 9-a-side: 18 players, on a 9-a-side pitch or a smaller 11-a-side one.
• 11-a-side: 22 players. Hard to fill with friends: you need a big group, or two groups playing each other.

A formation lists the outfield players from defence to attack (the goalkeeper isn't counted). These are the formations you can pick in Squadiko for each format:

• 5-a-side: 2-2 (the square), 1-2-1 (the diamond), 2-1-1, 1-1-2.
• 6-a-side: 3-2, 2-2-1, 2-1-2, 3-1-1, 1-3-1.
• 7-a-side: 3-3, 2-3-1, 3-2-1, 3-1-2, 2-1-2-1.
• 8-a-side: 4-3, 3-3-1, 3-2-2, 2-3-2, 3-1-2-1.
• 9-a-side: 4-4, 3-3-2, 3-4-1, 4-3-1, 3-2-2-1.
• 11-a-side: 5-5, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2, 3-4-3, 3-4-1-2, 5-3-2.

• Even games without fixed roles: a symmetrical formation (2-2 in 5-a-side, 3-3 in 7-a-side) leaves everyone free to attack and defend.
• No real defender: three at the back (3-2-1 in 7-a-side, 3-3-1 in 8-a-side) stops the counter-attacks.
• A strong striker: one up front (1-2-1 in 5-a-side, 2-3-1 in 7-a-side) and the rest in support.
• The two teams can play different formations: what matters is that each has a goalkeeper and a defence.

1. Pick the format. When you create the game you choose how many players per team, from 5-a-side to 11-a-side, and how many substitutes per team.
2. The pitch shows the places. Whoever opens the link sees the pitch with the formation's roles and picks a free place: goalkeeper, defence, midfield or attack.
3. Change the formation any time. The organiser can change each team's formation later too; a formation with no room for the roles already taken can't be selected.
4. Substitutes on the bench. Whoever joins a full team goes on its bench; the organiser swaps a substitute with a player on the pitch by dragging them onto it.