Football Goal Sizes & Buying Guide | The All In One Guide For Clubs and Schools
We understand just how confusing it can be when buying football goals for your football club or school. You’ll need to know what size goal you want, which material of goal post best suits you, and which type of goal you are looking for.
We have put together the ultimate buying guide and football goal size guide so you have all the information you need in one place.
What Football Goal Size Is Right For You?
When buying football goals for a club or school, getting the right goal size is the most important factor. We have put together a section that shows all of the goal sizes available as well as which age groups and situations they are for.
If at any point you still feel like you need help deciding on which pair of goals to buy, or if you want to talk to someone on the team about choosing the right football goals, contact us with a phone call or an email and we’d be happy to help.
11-a-Side Football Goal Sizes
There are two main 11-a-side goal sizes and they are the most common football goal sizes used in all grassroots leagues from the ages of 13-14 up into adult and senior matches.
Full-Size Football Goal Size
The full-size 11-a-side football goal is 24ft wide and 8ft tall (or 7.32m wide and 2.44m tall). This is the required goal size for all adult/senior league matches in the UK no matter which level of play.
The FA strongly advises that any players aged 15 and above use this goal size for matches
Junior 11-a-Side Football Goal Size
The junior 11-a-side goal size is the goal size recommended by the FA for players aged U13 and U14 when playing in youth 11-a-side matches. This goal size is 21ft wide and 7ft tall (or 6.4m wide and 2.13m tall).
9-a-Side Football Goal Size
The standard 9-a-side football goal size is 16ft wide and 7ft tall (or 4.88m wide and 2.13m tall). The 9-a-side goal size is for children in the U11 and U12 age groups, with this being the last football goal size before moving to youth 11-a-side goals.
16ft x 6ft Football Goal Size
This football goal size of 16ft wide and 6ft tall (or 4.88m wide and 1.83m tall) provides a middle ground between 9-a-side goals and 7-a-side goals.
They are similar in size to 9-a-side football goals, just being 1ft shorter, which makes them a great choice for U10 and U9 age groups, looking to prepare for 9-a-side games.
7-a-Side Football Goal Size
The standard 7-a-side football goal size is 12ft wide and 6ft tall (or 3.6m wide and 1.8m tall).
This goal size is recommended by the FA for U9s and U10s matches and is the first goal size used by children when they start to play official football matches in leagues.
Although these are 7-a-side goals, they are also recommended by the FA for U8s and U7s mini soccer 5v5 games, which is why you’ll often see goals marked as both 5v5 and 7v7 goal sizes.
5-a-Side Football Goal Sizes
There are 4 main 5-a-side goal sizes, depending on the age group and format of the game. The list below describes each goal size and when they are often used or recommended by the FA.
Senior 5-a-Side Football Goal Size
The standard sizes for senior 5-a-side football goals are 16ft wide by 4ft tall (4.88m wide by 1.22m tall) and 12ft wide by 4ft tall (3.66m wide by 1.22m tall). Both sizes are commonly used across 5-a-side leagues in the UK, with the choice between them often coming down to personal preference.
Under 7s and Under 8s 5-a-Side Football Goal Size
The standard goal size for U8s and U7s matches is 12ft wide and 6ft tall (or 3.6m wide and 1.8m tall) which is the standard 7-a-side goal side as well for U9 and U10 players.
Futsal Goal Size
The standard Futsal goal size is 3m wide and 2m tall (9.84ft wide and 6.56ft tall). This goal size applies to any team at any age group when playing Futsal as it is a single goal size for all games.
FA Recommended Goal Sizes
Below is a table from the FA that indicates which football goal sizes they recommend for each age group.
| MiniSoccer U7/U8 | 5 v 5 | 12ft wide | 6ft Tall |
| Mini Soccer U9/U10 | 7 v 7 | 12ft wide | 6ft Tall |
| Youth U11/U12 | 9 v 9 | 16ft wide | 7ft Tall |
| Youth U13/U14 | 11 v 11 | 21ft wide | 7ft Tall |
| Youth U15/U16 | 11 v 11 | 24ft wide | 8ft Tall |
| Youth U17/U18 | 11 v 11 | 24ft wide | 8ft Tall |
| Over 18 Senior Ages | 11 v 11 | 24ft wide | 8ft Tall |
Aluminium vs Steel Football Goals
When choosing any football goal for a club, school, or academy, you’ll need to choose between steel football goals and aluminium football goals. Both have their benefits and use cases and knowing which one suits your needs is important in making the right choice.
About Steel Football Goals
Steel football goals are the most commonly used in grassroots football games and in general around the UK. Steel goals are often cheaper than aluminium football goals and also come with a variety of benefits, as well as some drawbacks.
Pros of Steel Football Goals
- Durability - Steel goals are very robust and resilient. They can withstand heavy use and harsh weather conditions
- Longevity - Due to being so durable, steel football goals have a long lifespan which makes them cost-efficient
- Low Maintenance - Again due to being durable, they rarely break and rarely need any repairs.
- Cost - In general, steel football goals are cheaper than their aluminium counterparts.
Cons of Steel Football Goals
- Weight - Steel football goals are much heavier than aluminium and can therefore be harder to move and transport around. This can also make the goals slightly more difficult to install and less useful for flexible use on multiple pitches.
About Aluminium Football Goals
Aluminium football goals are often more expensive than steel goals but come with a variety of positives that make them worth it. These are the types of goals used by all premier league clubs and professional grounds.
More and more grassroots football clubs are also switching to aluminium football goals.
Pros of Aluminium Football Goals
- Lightweight - Being significantly lighter than steel goals, aluminium football goals are easier to manoeuvre and transport.
- Flexibility - As aluminium goals are easier to transport, they can be used on multiple pitches and therefore can be a cost-effective solution
- Corrosion Resistant - Aluminum naturally resists rust and corrosion, eliminating the need for protective coatings and reducing long-term maintenance requirements.
- Low Maintenance - Like steel goals, aluminium goals rarely need repairing or replacing.
Cons of Aluminium Football Goals
- Cost - The one main drawback of aluminium football goals is their cost in comparison to steel. However, with how much utility they provide, and often lasting for many many years, they are a worthwhile investment.
Which Metal Football Goal Should You Choose?
Overall it comes down to your circumstances. If you need to move your football goals frequently or store them after matches, you should try and find a pair of aluminium football goals as they are lighter.
If you are looking for a cost-effective pair of football goals that are high quality but won’t be too expensive, you may be better looking for a steel goal pair.
What Types of Metal Football Goals Are There?
There are many types of metal football goals to choose from at Arcanum Sports and we have put them into the most common categories below.
About Wheeled Football Goals
Wheeled football goals are becoming more popular and for good reason. They allow for easy movement between pitches and are the ultimate flexible and versatile goals.
Some wheeled football goals (such as the Swivel Portagoal collection) come with integrated wheels as standard with the goalposts.
Other football goals can be used without the wheel sets but have the option to add the partnering wheelset to turn them into easy-moving football goals (which we always recommend).
The wheels for these football goals fall into one of two categories: Flip-over wheels and Hi-raise wheels.
Flip-over Wheels allow for easy movement when in use and then can be flipped over when the goal is stationary to make sure it is locked in place and doesn’t move.
Hi-raise Wheels are lever-actioned and can be flipped up and down with the use of a lever on each of the 4 wheels. This locks them in place when stationary.
About Indoor Football Goals
Indoor football goals are used in leisure centres and school sports halls and are smaller, 5-a-side-sized football goals. They are easy to store away after use and often foldable too.
About Socketed Football Goals
Socketed football goals are most commonly used in grassroots football matches around the UK and can also be seen in parks and other grass pitches.
They lock into underground sockets and provide a very stable frame, that can then easily be taken apart and moved when not in use.
They are the best choice for grass football pitches where the goals are often in one place, without being moved, for a prolonged period.
About Freestanding Football Goals
Freestanding football goals are the counterpart to socketed goals and require no mechanism to be fixed to the ground but instead are often weighted either internally or by stanchions which connect to the back bar of the goal and hold the frame in place.
All of our wheeled football goals are freestanding when the wheels are not in use.
Freestanding football goals are the best choice for clubs and schools on AstroTurf where the goals need to be moved around frequently and can’t be socketed into the ground.
Swivel Portagoals
You can find Harrod Sport’s Swivel Portagoal range at Arcanum Sports. This range is one of the newest ranges of goals in the UK and was designed with Premier League clubs in mind.
These goals offer full 360-degree movement with the built-in wheelset and are the most versatile and flexible training football goals yet.
These are the football goals to choose for any professional club or academy as well as any school looking for the best football goals for their 3G pitches.
Folding Football Goals
Folding football goals allows for a cost-effective way to get easy-to-move and flexible goals at your club. They are often much cheaper than wheeled goals and are a perfect choice for clubs who need to store away their goals after use, due to the reduced size of the goals when folded down.
Fence Folding Football Goal
We also have a fence folding goal from Harrod Sport which is a great choice for schools and 3G pitches as it allows for the goal to fold seamlessly into the fence when not in use, making the most of the space.
Professional Football Goal Packages
Professional goal packages are the choice of elite clubs, academies and schools around the UK. These packages come fully equipped with all necessary equipment including box nets, stanchions, net supports and more.
The goals included in these packages are used in stadiums around the world such as Anfield and the Bernabeu.
Safety Certifications on The Metal Football Goals
All goals here at Arcanum Sports have the latest safety certifications, ensuring they are fit for use in all youth leagues as well as men’s and women’s senior leagues across the UK
Independently Tested to BS EN 748:2004
This certification guarantees that all Senior and Euro Football goals in our range meet the rigorous standards set by BS EN 748:2004.
Additionally, our Junior, Mini Soccer, 9 v 9, Futsal, and Five-A-Side goals adhere to the specifications outlined in BS 8462.
This independent testing ensures that each goal meets the latest safety and performance standards, providing you with reliable and high-quality equipment.
Where To Look For Your Football Goals?
Now you know what size, material and type of goals you need, you can browse our range of metal football goals below.
If you'd like to speak with one of our personal sports advisors, just give us a call with your requirements. We'll ensure you receive the best-suited football goals for your club.
