Rules & Format01 AUG 2026
Heading Rules U7-U11
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The FA announced in May 2024 that, following the two-year IFAB trial to remove deliberate heading from matches at U12 and below, the following changes were rolled out at U7-U9 from the start of the 2024-25 season.
Deliberate Header Restart
- Deliberately heading the ball is an offence punishable by an indirect free kick.
- The indirect free kick is taken at the point where the ball was deliberately headed, except where a player deliberately heads the ball within their own penalty area — in that case, the referee stops play and restarts with an indirect free kick to the opposition from the nearest side line of the penalty area where the offence took place.
Touchline Restart
- When the whole of the ball passes over the whole of the touchline, on the ground or in the air, a pass-in/dribble-in is awarded instead of a throw-in.
- The kicker taking the pass-in/dribble-in may touch the ball again before it is touched by another player.
- The ball must be stationary on the touchline at the point where it left the pitch; only the kicker may be off the pitch.
- All opponents must stand at least five yards from the point on the touchline where the pass-in or dribble-in is taken.
- A goal cannot be scored directly from a pass-in.
- The ball is in play once it is kicked and clearly moves.
This rule was then expanded to include U10s from the 2025-26 season, and is being extended to include U11s from the 2026-27 season, in line with the FA's original three-season phasing.