What is the Size of a Soccer Goal?
Soccer goal size is the second most important measurement you need to get right before having a soccer game. Regulation soccer goal size consistency is part of what gives league play at different levels credibility.
Goal sizes range from youth soccer goals all the way to full-size soccer goal sizes, with plenty of variation in between. We’re going to cover goal sizes at each level and some of the reasoning behind each.
Soccer Goal Size by Age
U6-U8 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 4 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 6 feet
- 4v4 teams, No Goalkeeper
The first thing to know is that from U6 through U8 competition, youth soccer goal size stays the same. The second thing is that this period in a player’s career is all about fun and development. Portable soccer nets are a great option for turning your backyard into your very own home soccer practice field. Not enough backyard space? These nets are even easy to set up at a local park!
Overall the focus is on kids developing their dribbling and the ability to shoot the ball on an empty, unguarded net. This is a three-year period from U6 competition through U8 competition, where players experience consistent field size, goal size, ball size, team size, and game time. The biggest goal is to have a player even more in love with the game at the end of their U8 soccer year as they did after U6.
U9 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 6.5 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 18.5 feet
- 7v7 teams, Goalkeeper
The bigger goal size isn’t the only change when players reach U9. Soccer begins to look a little bit more like the sport you see on TV with the addition of more players, including the goalkeeper. This is often why U9 soccer goal size is referred to as 7v7 soccer goal size.
U9 is when players are first introduced to both these larger goals as well as the challenge of a goalie. It’s important to keep in mind that these changes make this an adjustment year for many players. Keep practice positive, and make sure you’re being the coach your players need.
U10 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 6.5 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 18.5 feet
- 7v7 teams, Goalkeeper
Much like the three-year arc from U6 to U8 play, U10 represents another golden year for young players. The growing pains of their initial 7v7 soccer year have disappeared for many players allowing them to fully embrace the next level of the beautiful game.
Players want to end their U10 season on a high note because U11 soccer brings on all new challenges.
U11 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 7 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 21 feet
- 9v9 teams, Goalkeeper
U11 league play represents another adjustment year for youth soccer players. The goals are larger, the teams are larger, and even the soccer fields are larger!
While it may be hard to do at the moment, encourage young players to make the most of their U11 time. Starting their U11 year represents the beginning of the end of playing under youth rules. They’ll soon be playing with the official soccer goal size used by adults in leagues all over the world.
U12 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 7 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 21 feet
- 9v9 teams, Goalkeeper
U12 is the last season there is for players to experience 9v9 soccer with a smaller goal size. U12 players have more confidence than their U11 peers because they’ve had more time to adjust to the large goals and team sizes. Many players go on to recall this being one of the most fun levels of youth soccer.
U13-U14 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 8 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 24 feet
- 11v11 teams, Goalkeeper
After U13 and U14, soccer goal sizes remain the same no matter how far a player’s career takes them. Yes, that’s right, soccer players are as young as 13 years old when they begin to play with a professional soccer goal size net. Keep that in mind when watching youth players transfer their skills to this next level— they’ve got a lot to grow into.
Of course, because these leagues can have players of a variety of ages on a team, we’ve provided soccer goal size measurements based on the team size below.
Goal Dimensions by Team Size
4v4 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 4 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 6 feet
7v7 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 6.5 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 18.5 feet
9v9 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 7 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 21 feet
11v11 Soccer Goal Size
- Goal Maximum Height: 8 feet
- Goal Maximum Width: 24 feet
FIFA Regulation Goal Size for International Games
Alongside playing professionally, the dream for nearly every youth player is the opportunity to play for the international squad. International soccer competition is regulated by the FIFA organization.
As you might expect, FIFA has its own set of rules for international goal sizes. We’ve covered the essentials below.
FIFA International Goal Soccer Goal Dimensions
It’s important to note: that the measurements below are taken from the inside of the goalposts for width and from the inside edge of the crossbar to the ground for height.
- Goal Width: 7.32 meters or 8 yards
- Goal Height: 2.44 meters or 8 feet
FIFA also dictates that all goals must be white, and the goalposts and crossbars must all be the same width and depth.
Make sure you bookmark this page for future reference! We promise it’ll come in handy. In fact, here are a few more resources that should make setting up a soccer field or coaching a team that much easier:
Have fun and happy shooting! There’s nothing like seeing a young player’s beaming smile when their shot finds the back of the net.
