Football warm-up games
Ditch the laps. These warm-ups get everyone on the ball from the first minute and double as technique practice.
A good football warm-up gets every player moving with a ball straight away, raises the heart rate gradually and leads into the main session. Games beat lines and laps.
Traffic lights
Every player dribbles freely and reacts to the coach's colour calls: green go, amber slow, red stop the ball. A classic warm-up for young players.
U5 to U9 · Whole squad players · 8 to 10 mins
See the drill →Through the gates
Players dribble through as many cone gates as they can in 30 seconds. It's fast, competitive and full of turns.
U6 to U12 · Whole squad players · 10 mins
See the drill →Football movement warm-up
A quick sequence of skips, side-steps, high knees, backwards running and short sprints across lanes. Gets bodies ready to play and builds good movement habits.
U9 to adult · Any players · 8 to 10 mins
See the drill →Rob the nest
Teams race to dribble balls from the centre back to their nest, then steal from other nests. Chaotic, fun and full of dribbling, scanning and decision-making.
U6 to U12 · 8 to 20 (4 teams) players · 10 mins
See the drill →Bib tails tag
Everyone tucks a bib into their shorts as a tail and tries to grab others' tails while protecting their own. Agility, scanning and lots of laughs. Add a ball when they're ready.
U6 to U12 · 6 to 24 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Pairs passing on the move
Pairs pass to each other while moving around a busy area, avoiding other pairs. A ball-based warm-up that builds touch, scanning and communication from the first minute.
U9 to adult · Pairs (whole squad) players · 8 to 10 mins
See the drill →Keepy-uppy challenge
Players try to beat their personal best for keepy-uppies, with levels that suit every ability. A great arrival activity: no setup, every player busy, and progress they can see.
U7 to adult · Any players · 5 to 10 mins
See the drill →Clean up your garden
Two teams try to clear all the balls out of their half by passing them into the other half. Frantic, fun and full of kicking with purpose. Great for the youngest age groups.
U5 to U9 · 6 to 20 (2 teams) players · 8 to 10 mins
See the drill →Hospital tag
Everyone is a tagger. Each time you're tagged you hold the spot where you were tagged; tagged three times and you go to 'hospital' for a quick exercise. Silly, active and great fun.
U6 to U11 · 8 to 24 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Colour call reactions
Players dribble in the middle and race to the colour the coach shouts. Builds reactions, quick changes of direction and listening while on the ball.
U7 to U14 · 4 to 20 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Pre-match warm-up routine (15 minutes)
A simple, repeatable 15-minute match-day warm-up: movement, passing, a quick rondo and some shots for the keeper. Gets players switched on without tiring them out.
U9 to adult · Whole squad players · 15 mins
See the drill →Handball to football
Teams throw and catch to score, then the coach switches it to feet. Throwing games teach movement, support angles and space without technique getting in the way.
U7 to U14 · 8 to 16 players · 10 mins
See the drill →Dynamic warm-up with a ball each
Players dribble between dynamic movements: lunges, skips, heel flicks and quick feet, all with the ball nearby. Warms up muscles and touch together.
U9 to adult · Any players · 10 mins
See the drill →Coach says
Like 'Simon says' with a ball: players only follow the instruction if the coach says 'Coach says' first. Listening, ball control and lots of giggles.
U5 to U10 · 4 to 24 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Stuck in the mud (with a ball)
Taggers freeze dribblers by tagging them; frozen players are freed when a teammate dribbles round them. Non-stop dribbling and teamwork.
U5 to U10 · 8 to 24 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Ball tag (pass to tag)
Taggers pass a ball between them and tag runners by passing the ball to hit them below the knee. Passing accuracy, movement and lots of laughs.
U8 to U14 · 8 to 20 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Football tennis
Teams keep the ball off the ground on their side and play it over a low cone 'net' with feet, thighs and heads (for older ages). Touch, control and great fun.
U10 to adult · 4 to 12 players · 10 mins
See the drill →Team keepy-uppy circle
A group in a circle keeps the ball in the air between them, counting touches as a team. Builds touch, communication and team spirit.
U10 to adult · 4 to 8 per circle players · 8 mins
See the drill →Cat and mouse
In pairs, the 'mouse' dribbles and the 'cat' chases to tag them. Swap on a tag. Quick, active and full of changes of direction.
U6 to U12 · Pairs players · 6 to 8 mins
See the drill →Animal walks warm-up
Bear crawls, frog jumps, crab walks and bunny hops between cones. Builds strength, balance and coordination, and the little ones love it.
U4 to U8 · Any players · 6 mins
See the drill →Four corners
Players dribble to any corner; the coach calls a colour and players in that corner do a skill challenge. Simple, fast and great for listening.
U5 to U10 · 6 to 20 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Crab football
Two teams play football in the crab position (hands and feet, tummy up). Silly, strengthening and a great ice-breaker.
U6 to U11 · 8 to 16 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Pac-Man tag
Everyone can only move along the lines; Pac-Man taggers chase them. A brilliant game for agility, scanning and decision-making, with or without a ball.
U6 to U12 · 8 to 24 players · 8 mins
See the drill →Pass and race
Partners pass across a gap and, on the coach's call, the receiver races the passer to a gate with the ball. Passing, then a sharp 1v1 race.
U8 to adult · Pairs players · 8 mins
See the drill →Quick feet and sprint
Fast footwork over cones or a ball for five seconds, then a short sprint. Wakes up the nervous system before the main session or a match.
U9 to adult · Any players · 6 mins
See the drill →Shadow play (team shape walk-through)
The team moves the ball through its formation with no opposition, rehearsing build-up patterns and positions. A calm pre-match warm-up that switches minds on.
U12 to adult · 9 to 16 players · 8 to 10 mins
See the drill →Knee tag
Partners try to touch each other's knees while protecting their own. Fantastic for agility, footwork and quick reactions in a small space.
U8 to adult · Pairs players · 5 mins
See the drill →Rock, paper, scissors chase
Partners play rock, paper, scissors in the middle; the winner chases the loser to their safe line. Reaction speed and short sprints with lots of fun.
U6 to U14 · Pairs players · 6 mins
See the drill →Body part stops
Players dribble and stop the ball with the body part the coach calls: sole, knee, bottom, elbow. A playful way to practise stopping the ball and listening.
U5 to U10 · 4 to 24 players · 6 mins
See the drill →Tunnel ball relay
Teams stand in a line with legs apart; the ball is passed back through the tunnel, and the last player dribbles to the front. Teamwork and accurate passing for little ones.
U5 to U10 · 6 to 20 (teams of 4 to 5) players · 6 mins
See the drill →Injury-prevention warm-up (FIFA 11+ style)
A structured warm-up of running, strength, balance and jumping exercises, following the principles of the FIFA 11+ programme. Done regularly, programmes like this reduce injuries.
U12 to adult · Any players · 15 to 20 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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