Quick Scoop: How Many People Are on a Soccer Team?

A standard soccer team has 11 players on the field at any given time during a match, meaning there are 22 players total on the pitch (11 per side). However, the full team includes additional players who are not currently on the field but can be brought in as substitutes.

Players on the Field (11-a-Side)

In the most common format of soccer (11-a-side), the on-field team is made up of:

  • 1 goalkeeper
  • 10 outfield players , typically divided into:
    • Defenders (e.g., center-backs, full-backs)
    • Midfielders (central, defensive, attacking)
    • Forwards (strikers, wingers)

This structure is used in professional leagues, international tournaments, and adult competitions worldwide and is defined by FIFA rules.

Substitutes and Full Team Size

While only 11 players from each side are on the field, the actual squad on the bench is larger:

  • Most professional matches allow 3–5 substitutions , depending on the competition rules.
  • A typical match-day squad might include:
    • 11 starting players
    • 12–18 substitute players listed on the roster

So, while the active team on the field is 11, the full team (starting players + substitutes) can easily be 20+ players in a squad.

Different Soccer Formats and Team Sizes

Soccer isn’t always 11-a-side. Smaller formats are common in youth, recreational, and indoor play:

Format| Players per team on field| Includes goalkeeper
---|---|---
11-a-side| 11| Yes
7-a-side| 7| Yes
5-a-side| 5| Yes
Futsal| 5| Yes

These formats are designed to be more accessible, increase individual involvement, and adapt to smaller fields or indoor courts.

Key Rules You Might Hear About

  • A team cannot have more than 11 players on the field at once; extra players lead to penalties.
  • If a player is sent off (red card), the team must continue with fewer players, but they still started with 11.
  • Youth and some tournament rules allow unlimited substitutions to give more players time on the field.

Bottom line: In regular soccer, each team has 11 players on the field and a larger squad (often 20+ players) that includes substitutes. Other formats like 7-a-side, 5-a-side, and futsal use fewer players per team. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.