IS 7-A-SIDE EASIER THAN 11-A-SIDE FOOTBALL
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Is 7-A-Side Easier Than 11-A-Side Football? – Analysis

Football in any shape or form is close to our hearts and it’s like a religion to us. Yeah, we know that this feeling is mutual. Is 7-A-Side easier than 11-A-Side football? Today, we’re going to answer this by taking a look at two of versions of modern-day football. So, the two versions in question are; 7-A-Side and most commonly known to the whole world, the 11-A-Side.

As time went on, among other things, football has also evolved and there are many versions and shapes of the beautiful game in the modern footballing world. We will take into account many differences between the said two versions to get the answer to our question; “Is 7-A-Side easier than 11-A-Side football?

FACTS AND RULES

We’re trying our best to not get into deep technical details of both versions, but some of the basics are essential to go through to better understand the context of our discussion. Here they are:

  • In 7-A-Side football, there is a maximum of 12 players allowed in the team squad, out of which 7 players make the team and 5 stays on the bench. On the other hand, there are up to 16 players allowed in the 11-A-Side football out of which 11 make the line-up and the remaining stay on the bench as potential substitutes.
  • In 7-A-Side, there are unlimited substitutions allowed from the squad, while in the 11-A-Side, there are only 3 substitutions allowed from the available options in ordinary circumstances.
  • The pitch sizes of both differ a lot, the size of the 7-A-Side pitch is almost half than the size of that of 11-A-side. We say again, not exactly half but approximately half.
 

Well, the answer to that question is pretty obvious, yes, 11-A-Side is more popular in the world, and most probably the situation won’t change for a very long time because it is used in competitive competitions and their audience comprises of millions of people around the world.

On the contrary, 7-A-Side football is more played on the streets and in casual games or in the academies of giant football clubs.

less media coverage for 7-a-side:

There’s one more aspect to it, 7-A-Side football doesn’t get the media coverage like 11-a-side. But, all these things don’t make it any less than the competitive version of the game. The prominence of shorter versions of football like 7-A-Side is only increasing with the passing time as people prefer to play shorter, efficient and more engaging mode of football.

Let’s just not forget that in streets and neighborhoods, folks play the game for fun and enjoyment, and we’re going to make a very bold statement;

Shorter version of football like 7-A-Side is more fun and easier to play and enjoy.

You must have questions like How it is more fun to play? How it is more efficient? How it is more engaging? Be rest assured, we’re going to answer all your questions one by one. So, Buckle up.

WHAT’S MORE FUN?

Remember we’re talking about fun here, for once, let’s just forget all the tactics, ambitions, silverware, and rivalries, these are the things that usually make competitive or 11-A-Side football interesting and challenging. And no doubt, these things are a great and major part of football, which we all love.

But let’s just assume you’re back in your childhood and all you want is to have fun with your buddies. That’s where the 7-A-Side football kicks in. There is no thumping rivalry hanging over your head, no intense tactics and nothing’s at stake to be protected. It’s just you with the ball at your feet dancing around the defenders on the small pitch of 7-A-Side football.

more engagement in 7-a-side:

It’s where everybody gets chance to be the hero, as you receive the ball more, and you enjoy more. Now let’s get back to reality, the world of 11-A-Side football. We’re not trying to demonize it as it is something we love, it’s just that playing with a proper team in a proper competition puts loads of responsibility and tactical awareness on your shoulders.

You play for the legacy, you play for the supporters and even if you’re not in competitive football, there’s still a lot at stake. Of course, it’s fun in both versions because it’s football but we’ll just say, it’s more fun in 7-A-Side football.

 

IS 7-A-SIDE FOOTBALL MORE INTENSE?

If I tell you 7-A-Side football is more intense, then? Well, it’s quite a statement to digest, but it’s true. There is more pressure in the 11-A-Side but talking about intensity it’s definitely more in 7-A-Side football. Here are the few things which make it more intense.

  • As the playing time is shorter than the usual 90 minutes of 11-A-Side football, there’s a lot to accomplish in a relatively small period and it increases the intensity of the game.
  • Also, the rhythm of the game is very fast because of the size of the pitch and time provided, and there are more goals, more effort, and more heat of the game which makes it intense.
  • The ball distribution is really fast due to the faster rhythm of the game and all players are more likely to receive the ball contrary to the 11-A-Side where you mainly do the running and occupy areas, and as the result, the intensity is way more in 7-A-Side.

Are we clear? Let’s move to the next step.

WHO PLAYS 7-A-SIDE FOOTBALL?

We all know about the people who play competitive football, the adults. On the other hand, 7-A-Side football is more famous in the teens and the kids. No doubt, it suits that age group as it’s playing rules and attributes facilitate the younger ones.

That is why a shorter version of football is practiced in the youth ranks of big football academies as it’s qualities like smaller pitch size, fewer players, more ball circulation and distribution, more intensity, and more fun make it easier for boys. But in recent years, the trend of 7-A-Side or a shorter version of football is increasing in adults too, especially in England.

The future is bright, eh?

why 7-a-side is not a separate sport?

There are clearly many fun sides of 7-a-side football, which we have discussed today. But it’s still consider a derivative of standard football, and can’t stand as a separate sport. The answer lies in popularity and finances.

Since 11-a-side football is much more popular and there are long standing historic tournaments that are organized on a global level with billions of pounds/euros/dollars being pumped into it through sponsors and regulatory bodies, 7-a-side simply lacks this massive stature.

Although, the popularity of street football or futsal is picking up big time, but it still lacks the public demand, which doesn’t pull the media attention. Hence, 7-a-side remains in the shadow of 11-a-side football, which is accepted, loved and watched for more than 100 years now.

ONE FINAL CONCLUSION AND ANSWER

At the very beginning, we asked a question, “Is 7-A-Side easier than 11-A-Side football?”. After debating about both versions, we can finally say, yes, 7-A-Side football is easier than the other version in question. Why?

Because it is more manageable because it is more intense and obviously because it is much easy to organize. Talking from an ordinary person’s perspective, and not in competitive terms, 7-A-Side is more entertaining and easier as it is purely played for fun and enjoyment purposes.

That’s it for today, we made our point. Do you agree? If not, then let us know what you think about this topic.

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