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Goalkeeping guides for young keepers and their parents

If your child plays in goal, start with the question you want answered. The parents’ guide covers playing in goal, confidence and talking to the coach. You can also go straight to the rules, gloves and kit, finding coaching or the talent pathway.

These guides cover England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own rules, and are signposted at the end of this page.

This page links to our goalkeeping guides. Each guide shows the date its own information was checked.

Information checked on

A pair of amber goalkeeper gloves hanging over the crossbar of an empty junior goal, a football on the grass in front, trees beyond.

Start here

Young goalkeepers in England: a guide for parentsStaying in goal or playing outfield, what to ask the coach, what to say after a goal goes in, the rules and keeping your child safe.

Rules and kit

Goalkeeper rules in youth footballWhat changes for keepers at each age in England, from Under 7 to 11v11, including the back-pass rule and the eight-second rule.Goalkeeper gloves and kitWhether your child needs gloves, how to choose a pair, and what a keeper must wear.

Coaching and talent pathways

Finding goalkeeper coaching for your childWhere to find goalkeeper coaching, the goalkeeping qualifications explained, and the checks before you book.The goalkeeping talent pathwayHow young keepers progress in England: the academy system for boys, and The FA’s goalkeeping programmes for girls.

Safety

Related guides

Elsewhere in the UK

These guides cover England. In the rest of the UK, start with the national association.

  • Scotland: the Scottish FA.
  • Wales: the Football Association of Wales.
  • Northern Ireland: the Irish FA.