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Pitch Size, Player Numbers, and Playing Rules: How Small-Sided Game Constraints Shape the Training Demands in Male
Sigrid B H Olthof1, Jordi Ferrandis1, Vicente de Dios2,3
1School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|January 29, 2026
Summary
Small-sided games (SSGs) in elite youth soccer training are significantly influenced by pitch size, player numbers, and rules. Greater area per player increases physical demands, while more players and longer durations decrease them.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Soccer Training
- Physiology
Background:
- Small-sided games (SSGs) are integral to soccer training, with pitch size, player numbers, and rules frequently manipulated.
- Understanding how these constraints affect physical demands is crucial for optimizing training in elite youth players.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific small-sided game constraints that significantly impact the physical demands of under-18 elite male soccer players.
- To quantify the effects of manipulating area per player, player numbers, and playing rules on key physical performance metrics.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring training sessions of an under-18 Spanish academy soccer team, analyzing 87 small-sided games.
- Classifying SSGs by area per player (ApP), number of players, playing duration, goal size, use of floaters/goalkeepers, and touch limits.
- Measuring relative physical demands including total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR), sprint distance (SD), and acceleration/deceleration (ACC/DEC) distances.
- Employing a linear mixed-effects model to analyze the impact of SSG constraints on physical demands.
Main Results:
- Increased area per player (ApP) consistently elevated total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR), sprint distance (SD), and acceleration/deceleration (ACC/DEC) distances.
- Conversely, a higher number of players and longer playing durations led to reductions in TD, HSR, ACC, and DEC.
- Specific rules like using floater players, limiting touches, and employing small goals primarily influenced ACC and DEC.
Conclusions:
- Area per player is a primary constraint shaping the physical demands of SSGs in elite youth soccer.
- Player numbers, playing duration, and specific playing rules also contribute significantly to the overall physical load during SSGs.
- Coaches can leverage this understanding to design SSGs that effectively target specific training objectives and optimize physical development.
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