Possession drills
Keep the ball, move the ball, find the free player. Possession games for every age.
Possession drills are small-sided games where one team keeps the ball, often with neutral players helping the team in possession. They train support angles, scanning and patience.
Possession with neutrals (4v4+2)
Two teams of four play keep-ball with two neutral players who always help the team in possession, so it's always 6v4.
U9 to adult · 10 players · 15 mins
See the drill →End-to-end possession (target players)
Two teams keep the ball and try to play it from a target player at one end to the target at the other. Possession with a purpose: keep it, then go forward when it's on.
U10 to adult · 10 to 16 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Three-team possession
Two teams keep the ball together against the third. The team that loses it becomes the defenders. Intense, constant transitions and lots of overloads.
U11 to adult · 9 to 15 (three teams) players · 15 mins
See the drill →Keep-ball with overloads (5v2 to 5v5)
Start with a big overload so players taste success, then add defenders every few minutes until it's even. A simple progression that builds possession under growing pressure.
U9 to adult · 7 to 12 players · 12 to 15 mins
See the drill →Possession to score through gates
Teams score by passing through a gate to a teammate on the other side. With gates everywhere, players learn to switch play and find the free option.
U8 to U14 · 8 to 14 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Possession with wall (bounce) players
A 3v3 or 4v4 in the middle with bounce players on each side who play for whoever has the ball. Teaches using support players, quick combinations and switching.
U10 to adult · 10 to 14 players · 15 mins
See the drill →10-pass game
Teams score a point for every 10 consecutive passes. The simplest possession game, and a brilliant way to teach spreading out and moving to receive.
U8 to adult · 8 to 16 players · 12 to 15 mins
See the drill →Two-zone possession switch
Teams keep the ball in one half; switching it into the other half after five passes scores. Defenders must shift across as a team, just like in a match.
U11 to adult · 10 to 16 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Colour-sequence possession
Three colours play together, but the ball must always go to a different colour: red, then blue, then yellow. Forces scanning and quick thinking about who to pass to next.
U10 to adult · 9 to 15 (three colours) players · 12 mins
See the drill →Mixed-touch possession
Each player has a touch limit set by the coach: some one-touch, some two, some free. Teammates must recognise who needs time and who must play quickly.
U10 to adult · 8 to 16 players · 12 mins
See the drill →Long thin pitch possession
Possession on a long, narrow pitch so teams must play through and around opponents lengthways. Teaches depth, third-man runs and playing forward.
U10 to adult · 8 to 14 players · 12 to 15 mins
See the drill →Positional game 3v3+3
A 3v3 in the middle zone with three neutrals: one at each end and one in the middle. Teams keep the ball by playing end to end through the neutrals. A classic positional play exercise.
U12 to adult · 9 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Tight 4v4 with counter goals
A 4v4 possession game in a tight space where the defending team can score in small goals as soon as it wins the ball. Keeping the ball under real pressure, with consequences.
U11 to adult · 8 plus keepers optional players · 12 mins
See the drill →Corner-zone possession
Teams score by receiving a pass in any of four corner zones. Teaches players to look for space wide and to move into it at the right time.
U10 to adult · 8 to 14 players · 12 to 15 mins
See the drill →Third-man possession game
Possession where a third-man combination (A to B, B lays off to C who was the planned target) scores. Teaches players to look past the first pass.
U12 to adult · 8 to 14 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Possession with the keeper as sweeper
A possession game where each team's keeper plays as a sweeper behind their outfield players, using feet to recycle. Builds the modern keeper's on-ball role.
U10 to adult · 11 to 15 with keepers players · 15 mins
See the drill →Team keep-ball in shape
Teams keep the ball in their match formation in half a pitch. Players learn their positional distances and how to rotate while keeping possession.
U12 to adult · 14 to 20 players · 15 to 20 mins
See the drill →Five passes then score
Teams must make five passes before they're allowed to score. Rewards patience and keeping the ball, without losing the fun of goals.
U8 to U14 · 8 to 14 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Beat the clock possession
The defending team has 30 seconds to win the ball back; if the attacking team keeps it that long, they score. Urgency for defenders, composure for attackers.
U9 to adult · 8 to 14 players · 12 mins
See the drill →Pass-and-move rule possession
After every pass you must sprint to a new space (through a cone gate or to a different quarter). Builds the habit of moving after passing, the fix for players who stand and watch.
U9 to adult · 8 to 14 players · 12 mins
See the drill →Overload transfer: two halves
Each half has a 4v2. After five passes, the ball is transferred to teammates in the other half, and two defenders sprint across. Teaches possession with a purpose: keep it, then go.
U10 to adult · 9 to 12 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Rotating neutrals keep-ball
Three teams of three: two keep it, one presses. Whoever loses it becomes the pressing team straight away. Constant transitions and lots of touches.
U10 to adult · 9 to 11 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Safe squares game
Dribble into one of the four 5 x 5 m corner squares for a point; defenders aren't allowed in. You can't score in the same square twice in a row. Rewards switching play and driving into space.
U8 to U14 · 6 to 10 players · 12 mins
See the drill →Break out to the end zone
Keep the ball in the middle with a spare player, then break out by passing to a teammate running into the end zone. A game about being patient and then playing forward at the right moment.
U10 to adult · 8 to 10 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Five mini-goal game
Five small goals around the area; you need 4 passes before you can score in any of them. With so many goals, players have to look up, find the free one and switch play.
U9 to adult · 8 to 10 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Middle player must touch it
The team with the ball can only score a point if the ball goes through their player in the centre box. Teaches playing through the middle and finding the player between the lines.
U10 to adult · 7 to 10 players · 12 mins
See the drill →Switch the play: three channels
The ball must visit all three channels (left, middle, right) before you can score. Teaches teams to move the ball across the pitch and pull the opponent out of shape.
U11 to adult · 10 to 14 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Find the target, keep it
A target player stands at each end. Keep the ball and play into your target for a point, then the target plays back in and you go the other way. Builds the habit of playing forward and supporting the ball.
U9 to adult · 8 to 10 players · 12 mins
See the drill →4v4 plus wall players
Wall players stand on each side line and play one-twos with whoever has the ball. A small game full of quick combinations and support angles.
U9 to adult · 8 to 12 players · 15 mins
See the drill →Building a session?
Tell the free session planner your age group, numbers and what to work on, and it builds a full session from drills like these.
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