How many players on a soccer team? Eleven per side are on the field, one of them the goalkeeper. Youth teams play smaller formats, from 4v4 (U7 to U8) up to 9v9 (U11 to U12). A US Youth Soccer team roster can hold up to 22 players, 18 per game. Your spring roster is due soon, and the kit order comes right after it. Hamco Sports custom soccer jerseys start at $44.99 a player (1 to 24 pieces). They are ready 2 to 3 weeks after design approval, then take 3 to 5 days to reach you.
How we made this guide: written by the Hamco Sports team. We used the IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27 (Laws 3 and 4), U.S. Soccer’s game formats page and the US Youth Soccer Policy on Players and Playing Rules (5 Dec 2025). We also used the NFHS soccer uniforms sheet (rev. 3 Aug 2026) and our price list as of October 2026. Updated October 31, 2026.
How many players are on the field in soccer?
A soccer team has 11 players on the field at a time: one goalkeeper and 10 outfield players. The IFAB Laws of the Game also say a match may not start or continue if either team has fewer than seven players (Law 3.1, checked Oct 25, 2026).
So there are not 12 players on a soccer team. Eleven play at any one time, and the rest of the roster waits on the bench as substitutes.
The 10 outfield players split into defenders, midfielders and forwards. A formation such as 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 is the coach’s choice, not a rule. Only the goalkeeper’s role is fixed by the Laws. That is also why only the goalkeeper needs a different jersey (more on that below).
How many players per side by age group?
U.S. Soccer sets a maximum game format for each youth age band, and smaller formats are allowed at every age. Its game formats page lists four steps, from 4v4 at U7 to U8 up to full 11v11 from U13.
| Age group | Maximum format | Players on the field per team |
|---|---|---|
| U7 to U8 | 4v4 | 4 |
| U9 to U10 | 7v7 | 7 |
| U11 to U12 | 9v9 | 9 |
| U13 and older | 11v11 | 11 |
Source: U.S. Soccer, “Age-Appropriate Game Formats” (ussoccer.com/us-way/player-development/game/game-formats, checked Oct 26, 2026).
Age groups go by date of birth, not school grade. From the 2026 to 2027 season, US Youth Soccer, AYSO and US Club Soccer count the age year from August 1 to July 31; other leagues can set their own age rules. Your league may play a smaller format than the table shows, so check its rules before you set the roster and the uniform count. A U10 team playing 7v7 with a roster of 12 has five players on the bench at kickoff, and all 12 still need a jersey.
Source: US Youth Soccer, Updated Decision on Age Group Formation, June 10, 2025 (usyouthsoccer.org), checked Nov 8, 2026.
How many players should be on a soccer roster?
A US Youth Soccer member team may carry up to 22 players on its team roster and up to 18 on the game roster for one match. The same rule sets seven as the floor for a game roster (Policy on Players and Playing Rules, Rule 205, 5 Dec 2025, checked Oct 31, 2026).
| Program | Team roster | Game roster | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Youth Soccer member teams | up to 22 | up to 18, at least 7 | USYS Policy on Players and Playing Rules, Rule 205 (5 Dec 2025, read Oct 31, 2026) |
| AYSO, US Club Soccer, rec leagues | set by each program | set by each program | your program’s rules |
| High school | set by your state association | set by your state association | your state association |
The USYS limits apply only to teams that play under US Youth Soccer. AYSO, US Club Soccer and local rec leagues write their own roster rules. We found no national roster number for high school soccer, so your state association sets it.
Substitutions change how many players a roster really needs. High school and youth soccer allow far more changes than the pro game does. Our guide to soccer substitution rules covers each level.
How many soccer kits should a team order?
A soccer team should order one field jersey and one pair of shorts for every outfield player, a separate jersey for each goalkeeper, and socks for everyone. Training pinnies are optional, but they can push a small order into a better price tier. Here is what one 9v9 team costs with Hamco Sports, using our prices as of October 2026.
Example: one 9v9 team with a 14-player roster
| Row | Order | Pieces | Price tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12 field jerseys + 2 goalkeeper jerseys + 14 shorts | 28 | 25 to 50 |
| B | Row A plus 14 pairs of socks | 42 | 25 to 50 |
| C | Row B plus 14 reversible training pinnies | 56 | 51 to 100 |
Source: Hamco Sports price list as of October 2026 (price file read Oct 22, 2026). The roster of 14 is an example, not a rule.
Math, row A: 12 × $42.99 + 2 × $44.99 + 14 × $39.99 = $1,165.72, shipping included.
Math, row B: $1,165.72 + 14 × $19.99 = $1,445.58, shipping included.
Math, row C: 12 × $39.99 + 2 × $42.99 + 14 × $36.99 + 14 × $18.99 + 14 × $32.99 = $1,811.44, shipping included. The same 56 pieces at the 25 to 50 prices would be $1,963.44, so reaching the 51 to 100 tier saves $152.00.
Row C works because products can be mixed on one quote to reach a price tier. Soccer socks come in ankle, crew and knee-high heights in the same order, so players who prefer a shorter sock for training don’t need a separate order. Soccer pinnies come in a reversible two-color version at the same per-pinnie price. One set of pinnies can split a practice into two sides.
High school teams count differently, because they need a dark set for home games and a white set for away games. Example: a 20-player varsity roster with 18 dark and 18 white field jerseys plus 2 goalkeeper jerseys lands in the 25 to 50 tier. Add dark and white socks for all 20 players on the same quote, and the order moves up to the 51 to 100 tier.
Math, jerseys only (38 pieces): 36 × $42.99 + 2 × $44.99 = $1,637.62.
Math, jerseys and two pairs of socks each (78 pieces): 36 × $39.99 + 2 × $42.99 + 40 × $18.99 = $2,285.22, shipping included.
Sublimated names, numbers and logos are included in the per-player price. Tackle twill is $5 per name and $5 per number.
Working back from your first game. Say your first spring game is Saturday, April 3, 2027. Approve your design by Monday, March 1, 2027, and send your quote request about a week before that so the mockup rounds have time.
Math: April 3 minus 7 days of margin = March 27; minus 5 days in transit = March 22; minus 21 days of production = March 1, 2027.
Does the goalkeeper need a different jersey?
Yes. The IFAB Laws of the Game require each goalkeeper to wear colors that are distinguishable from the other players and the match officials (Law 4.3, checked Oct 27, 2026). In high school, the NFHS uniforms sheet says the goalkeeper’s jersey must be distinctly different in color from both teams (rev. 3 Aug 2026, checked Oct 31, 2026).
The color rule is why every soccer order has a separate keeper line. Goalkeeper jerseys come in long and short sleeves. Hamco Sports goalkeeper jerseys start at $49.99 a player (1 to 24 pieces). One keeper color that differs from both your home and away field colors can serve every game. Check it against your opponents’ colors. Our soccer team colors guide covers the choice in more detail.
High school adds two more counting rules. Every jersey, the goalkeeper’s included, must be numbered with no duplicates, back numbers at least 6 inches tall and front numbers at least 4 inches. For the 2026 to 2027 season, home teams wear dark jerseys and dark socks. Visitors wear solid white jerseys with white socks (NFHS uniforms sheet rev. 3 Aug 2026; NFHS Rule 4-1-4c, checked Oct 31, 2026). The sheet adds that substitutes should wear distinguishing pinnies when warming up outside the team area. “Should” means it is advised, not required.
Ordering for a club or a whole league
A club or league that orders for several teams can put every team on one quote. The price tier comes from the combined total, even when each team has its own design. Four U10 teams of 12 players each make 48 field jerseys, which prices every jersey at the 25 to 50 tier.
Three more rules help a registrar plan the season’s spending. Youth sizes cost the same as adult sizes, so a mixed U8 to U14 order has one price per item at each tier. A player who joins mid-season is priced at the same tier as the team’s original order. There is no minimum order, so a single jersey for a late player is a normal order. Schools paying through the district: purchase orders accepted.
Frequently asked questions
Are there 12 players on a soccer team?
No. A soccer team has 11 players on the field: 10 outfield players and one goalkeeper (IFAB Law 3.1). The roster can be much bigger. A US Youth Soccer team may list up to 22 players and name up to 18 for one game. A match can’t start or continue if a team has fewer than seven players on the field.
How many players are on a 9v9 team?
A 9v9 team has nine players on the field, one of them the goalkeeper. U.S. Soccer sets 9v9 as the maximum format for U11 and U12. The roster can be bigger than nine: US Youth Soccer member teams may list up to 22. Check your league’s own roster rule before you order uniforms.
How many players are on a high school soccer roster?
There is no national number. Each state association sets its own high school roster and game-day limits, so check yours before you order. The NFHS rules decide what the team wears. For the 2026 to 2027 season, that means dark home jerseys and socks, solid white away jerseys and socks, and a goalkeeper jersey that differs from both teams.
Do we need home and away kits?
High school teams do. The NFHS rules for 2026 to 2027 call for dark home jerseys and socks and solid white away jerseys and socks. Club and rec teams follow their own league’s uniform rule, so ask the league before you order a second set of jerseys and socks. With Hamco Sports, home and away sets go on one quote, so they count toward the same price tier.
How many jerseys should a youth soccer team order?
One field jersey for every player on the roster, not only the players on the field, plus a separate jersey for each goalkeeper. A U10 team playing 7v7 with a roster of 12 still needs 12 jerseys. Shorts, socks and pinnies on the same quote count toward the same price tier, so the whole kit can lower the price per piece.
Get your roster’s kits on one quote
Many coaches come to us after a late order or a slow reply somewhere else, so we start with your date. Send us your roster count, your colors and your crest. You get a free mockup within 12 hours, and we change it as many times as you need. Nothing goes into production until you approve it.
The price we quote is the price you pay. There is no setup fee, sublimated names and numbers are included, and bigger sizes cost no extra. Shipping is free anywhere in the USA. Canadian teams pay the shipping. We pay the tariffs, duties and import fees on US and Canada orders.
Your kits are ready 2 to 3 weeks after design approval, then take 3 to 5 days to reach you. Start the quote as soon as your roster is set. Get My Free Quote
