Football Goal Post Buying Guide

If you are looking to buy football goals it’s important to consider what the best size goal is for the intended user. Whilst it may not always be practical to use posts that match the FA's recommended age group sizes due to the space & budget you have available, using the most suitable goal frame size ensures that any shooting & goalkeeper training can be directly transferred into matches, where the same size goals will be used.

The above is not to say that using different size football goals doesn't help player development though. Ultimately, the more a player practises the better they will get so using any goal size can be beneficial!

This guide aims to not only outline what size football goal to buy, but also cover the different types of goals available to buy, meaning you have all of the information you need prior to purchasing a FORZA goal or goals.

Football Goal Post Sizes

Based on official FA guidelines we’ve created the graphics below to show what size goal should be used for each age group/team size.

5-a-side Football Goal Size

The age of the players determines the size of the goal recommended for 5-a-side football. FA guidelines state that Mini Soccer games played by Under 7 and Under 8 players should use 5-a-side goal posts that are 12ft high x 6ft wide.

5-a-side games involving older children and adults have a recommended size of either 12ft wide x 4ft high or 16ft wide x 4 ft high. Futsal is a variation of 5 a side football that is played on a hard court. Guidelines from the AMF and FIFA state that futsal goal posts should measure 3 metres wide and 2 metres high, which roughly equates to 9.8ft wide x 6.6ft high.

7-a-side Football Goal Size

7-a-side Mini Soccer matches played by under 9 and 10 children use 12ft wide x 6ft high football goals for 7-a-side games. It’s also common for this goal size to be used for under 7 and under 8 5-a-side matches.

9-a-side Football Goal Size

The F.A. recommends that children playing under 11 and 12 football use 9-a-side goal posts that are 16ft wide x 7ft high. These goals are used in youth 9-a-side matches on grass, artificial and 3G pitches.

11-a-side Football Goal Size

11-a-side goal posts that are used in senior adult matches are 24ft wide x 8ft high. Goalposts with these dimensions are used in professional and amateur adult leagues across the world. In the UK, the FA recommends that 24ft wide x 8ft high goal posts are used in outdoor matches by all players aged 15 years and older. Slightly smaller 21ft x 7ft goals are used for 11-a-side matches with youth players aged 13 and 14..

RECOMMENDED GARDEN GOAL SIZES BY AGE

When choosing a goal for your garden, you aren’t restricted to FA size regulations and instead can buy a goal that exactly suits your needs.

Below we’ve outlined the recommended ages for each size garden goal. This graphic is designed to serve as a rough reference point of what goal size could be right for your garden, and shouldn’t be used to dictate which goal you should buy. Considerations such as the space available to you and your budget need to be made before selecting a garden goal. For instance, if your garden is tight for space, a 6 x 4 goal can easily be used by older players. This also applies to all other goal sizes and ages.

Steel Football Goals

Steel is known worldwide for its strength and resilience, and steel football goals are exceptionally strong and robust. Our galvanised steel goal frames are coated in zinc which makes them 100% weatherproof, meaning they won’t rust or corrode even if they are left outdoors all year round.

The heavy duty 42mm goal frames used in FORZA Steel42 goals ensure the goals are incredibly strong, rigid and stable. They are also as quick and easy to build as our PVC goals, as the tubular frame simply slots and locks together using thumb buttons (no tools are required).

The Steel42 goals are perfect for use as garden goals whilst they can also be used for kids football games as they are available in 8ft x 6ft, 12ft x 6ft, 3m x 2m and 16ft x 7ft sizes. If you are looking for a more robust option than PVC without the expense of aluminium goals then steel football goals could be the perfect option for you.

PVC Football Goals

PVC is a fantastic material for football goals as it is robust and durable yet light in weight. It is also able to withstand the toughest of weather conditions without corroding which ensures its longevity.

In comparison to steel and aluminium PVC is also affordable, which means the goals can be produced and sold at a lower cost than goals made with those other two materials. It’s this combination of performance and cost that makes PVC goals the bestselling FORZA goal model with those buying goals for kids. Whether it’s a goal for a garden or a children’s football game, PVC goal posts are a great option as they are so light, easy to move and assemble.

FORZA’s PVC garden goals are actually twice as thick as similar goal posts on the market, which adds to their longevity and makes them even more appealing for those looking for a relatively low cost goal that will last. The goals are available in a range of sizes from 3ft x 2.5ft target goals to much bigger 16ft x 7ft posts, meaning there are size options to suit all age groups.

Different Types of Football Goals

Whilst we’ve already covered the different football goal post size and materials they also come in different types/styles. The two main categories of football goals are freestanding and socketed goals.

Freestanding Football Goal Posts

Freestanding goals are a common sight on professional football teams' training grounds, as well as amateur football teams' and school pitches.

FORZAs range of freestanding goalposts are available in various sizes, from freestanding garden goals to full size 24ft x 8ft goals used by professional teams. With specialised wheels for easy transportation and movement, FORZA freestanding aluminium goals feature lever or 360° wheels that allow the posts to be moved with ease. Due to the high quality of FORZA freestanding goals, they are used in senior professional games across the country.

Socketed Football Goal Posts

Socketed football goals are used in the stadiums of top-level clubs in the UK and around the world. As the name suggests, socketed goal posts are anchored permanently into the ground with metal sockets. Socketed goals are exceptionally secure and robust. As well as professional football pitches, due to their superior strength and durability, you will often find socketed goalposts standing for decades at a time at parks and public playing fields.

Now that you have all of the information you need on the different goal sizes, materials and types you should be well placed to make your decision on which goal to buy. At FORZA Goal we have a huge range of goals available so you can be sure we have an option to suit your requirements and budget.