Football sizes by age: 3, 4 or 5?

Sizes 3, 4 and 5 explained for players, parents, coaches and schools in Pakistan: what Law 2 of the Laws of the Game requires of a full-size ball, and why age guidance for younger players changes from country to country.

Buying a football for a young child is not the same as buying one for a senior team. Footballs come in several sizes, and the ball a junior league or school side plays with is often smaller than the one adults use. This guide covers what sizes 3, 4 and 5 are for, what the Laws of the Game require of a full-size ball, and how two national football bodies link ball size to age. It is written with players, parents, coaches and schools in Pakistan in mind.

The quick version

Size 3: the ball both examples below give to their youngest age groups.
Size 4: a middle step for older children before they move on to full-size football.
Size 5: the standard match size for teenagers and adults.

The ages at which players move from one size to the next are not the same everywhere. They differ from country to country, because the IFAB lets each national association adjust the ball and set age limits for youth football. Treat any age chart, including the two examples below, as a guide, and check with the people who run your league or tournament.

The ball in Law 2 of the Laws of the Game

The Laws of the Game are maintained by the IFAB, and Law 2 deals with the ball. In the 2026/27 edition, a ball must be:

spherical, and made of suitable material
68 to 70 cm (27 to 28 inches) in circumference
410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz) in weight when the match starts
inflated to 0.6 to 1.1 atmosphere at sea level, which the Law also gives as 600 to 1,100 g/cm² or 8.5 to 15.6 lbs per square inch

You will not find size numbers anywhere in Law 2. It sets one standard for the ball, and size numbers appear instead in youth guidance such as the two examples below.

The IFAB also leaves room for change below the senior game. Its general modifications let national football associations adjust the size, weight and material of the ball in youth, veterans, disability and grassroots football, and national associations can also decide the age limits for youth and veterans categories. Because each country makes its own choices, advice on children's ball sizes does not line up everywhere.

The ages at which players move from one size to the next are not the same everywhere.

Example one: England

England Football, part of The FA, publishes FutureFit guidance that pairs each age group with a largest match format and a ball size. Its age groups follow English school years:

Under 7 to Under 11 (Year 2 to Year 6): size 3, while matches grow from 3v3 to 7v7
Under 12 and Under 13 (Years 7 and 8): size 4, with 9v9 as the biggest format
Under 14 to Under 16 (Years 9 to 11): size 5, in 11v11 football

FutureFit explains that the size 3 ball has been pushed further up the primary years, in step with 7v7 now reaching Year 6. Put simply, an English child can keep a size 3 from Year 2 to the end of primary school in Year 6, use a size 4 for the two 9v9 years, and step up to a size 5 once 11-a-side begins.

Example two: Australia

Australia's national MiniRoos playing formats for club football, in a document marked as effective from 1 January 2015, draw the lines in different places. Under 6 to Under 9 teams play with a size 3 ball, and Under 10 and Under 11 teams move up to a size 4. The MiniRoos formats stop at Under 11.

Put the two side by side and the gap is clear. An Under 10 or Under 11 player uses a size 3 under England's guidance but a size 4 under MiniRoos. Neither body has got it wrong; they have made different choices, which is why the rules where a child actually plays should decide.

Cones on a training pitch in front of a goal — **Every ball is size 5**Sizes 3 and 4 belong to younger age groups. Every football we sell is a size 5.

Choosing a size in Pakistan

For a child in a school team, an academy or a local tournament, the organiser's rules come first. Before you buy, ask the coach or organiser which ball size the age group plays with, and whether groups are set by date of birth or by school class. The answer can put a player in a different group, and so in front of a different ball.

Parents of young children: if no league rule applies, both examples above start the youngest players on a size 3.
Coaches: practise with the size each group will use on match day, so players are not adjusting between training and games.
Schools buying for several classes: sort your teams by age group, check which size each team's competition uses, and buy to match instead of ordering one size for everyone.
Teenagers and adults: England's guidance brings in size 5 with 11v11 at Under 14, and size 5 is also the standard match size for adult play.

Caring for the ball

The ball care notes in our FAQ are short. Before the first session, pump the ball to the pressure printed on it and no higher. After wet or muddy use, wipe it clean and leave it to dry on its own, away from radiators and direct sun. When it goes into storage, keep some air in it rather than letting it go completely flat.

Our footballs, and sizes 3 and 4

Every football Sports Sialkot sells right now is a size 5. You can see the match and training balls in our footballs collection. Coaching a junior side that needs size 3 or size 4 balls? Message us on WhatsApp at +92 300 145 3645 or get in touch through our contact page. Let us know the size and how many balls you need, and we will reply with what we are able to offer.

Clubs, schools and academies can ask for a bulk quote through the contact page or on WhatsApp at +92 300 145 3645. Customers in Pakistan can pay cash on delivery, and every order delivered within the country carries a flat Rs 250 delivery charge.

Sources

Every football we sell is a size 5.

Match and training balls. Cash on delivery across Pakistan.

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Football sizes explained: which size for which age