9v9 soccer lineup builder
Place your nine starters on a 9v9 field in a 3-2-3, 3-3-2, 2-3-2-1, 3-1-3-1 or 4-3-1, add the substitutes, and hand every player a clear picture of where they begin.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. These tools are free, with no account and no ads, from Futbol Island, a football learning game for kids aged 7 to 12.
Tap a player, then tap another player or a substitute to swap them. You can also drag. The white dot is the goalkeeper: swap any player onto it to change keeper.
Names stay on your device. Nothing you type is sent to Futbol Island or stored on a server. A copied link holds the lineup inside the link itself, so use first names or nicknames.
Player names and match note
How to build your lineup
- Choose the game and the formation. The field and the dots change to match.
- Type a first name or nickname for each position, and add your substitutes.
- Tap a player, then tap another player or a substitute to swap them. On a computer you can drag, or use Tab, the arrow keys and Enter.
- Add your team name and a match note such as the kick-off time.
- Press Print for a one-page sheet, Download picture for a PNG, or Copy link to send the lineup to someone.
About 9v9 lineups
9v9 is played at U11 and U12 in the US. With eight outfield players there are three real lines for the first time, and offside is called from the halfway line, so players need to know who is beside them and who is behind them. A drawn lineup shows that in one look.
Try the same squad in two shapes. Build it in a 3-2-3, copy the link, then switch to a 3-3-2 and compare: the names move with the shape, so you can see at once which players change jobs.
Who plays where in a 3-2-3
The builder opens with the 3-2-3 (9v9) formation. These are its jobs; the 3-2-3 guide has the strengths, the weak spots and how the shape moves.
- Goalkeeper (1). Protects the goal and joins the passing when the back three are pressed.
- Center back (4). Protects the middle. When an outside back goes forward, the center back slides across behind the ball.
- Outside backs (2 and 3). Defend the sides and carry the ball forward when there is room.
- Two midfielders (6 and 8). Connect the back three block to the front three block.
- Wide forwards (7 and 11). Stretch the field near the sidelines. One comes inside to help the midfield when it is outnumbered.
- Center forward (9). Stays high in the middle and gives the team a target near goal.
Questions about the 9v9 soccer lineup builder
What is the most common 9v9 formation?
The 3-2-3 is the usual first choice: three defenders, two central midfielders and three forwards. It prepares players for the 4-3-3 they will meet in 11v11.
Can I move a player from the bench into the lineup?
Yes. Tap the substitute, then tap the player on the field. They swap places. On a computer you can drag one onto the other.
Can I print the 9v9 lineup?
Yes. “Print” makes a one-page sheet in black on white with the field, the names, the bench and your match note, ready for a clipboard.
Formations and more tools
- 3-2-3 (9v9) formationMost teams. Wide forwards and a clear back three.
- 3-3-2 (9v9) formationTeams with two forwards who work as a pair.
- 2-3-2-1 (9v9) formationTeams that keep the ball well.
- 3-1-3-1 (9v9) formationTeams with a calm holding midfielder.
- 4-3-1 (9v9) formationGetting ready for a back four in 11v11.
- 9v9 soccer formationsHow to choose a shape, with a diagram of each
- 9v9 formations cheat sheetEvery shape of this game on one printable page
- Soccer playing time calculatorA fair substitution plan for the same squad
- Soccer lineup builderNames on a field diagram for 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 or futsal: print, picture or link
- 7v7 soccer lineup builderSeven starters and the bench on a 7v7 field
- 11v11 soccer lineup builderA starting eleven on a full-size field
- Futsal lineup builderFive starters and rolling subs on a futsal court
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.