5-a-side, 7-a-side and futsal: the differences and which to pick
You're setting up a match and the first decision isn't the line-up: it's the format. 5-a-side, 7-a-side or futsal — fútbol 5, fútbol 7 and fútbol sala, as the venues in Spain call them. They look like the same game with different numbers, but the surface, the ball, the pace and even what you pay per head all change.
Here's the full comparison: how many players you need, how much running each format involves, what it costs and which kind of pitch you'll find most easily in your area. No federation theory you don't need. Just what matters for playing on Thursday.
The differences at a glance
We'll start with the table. Then we'll dig into each format and which one suits you, depending on your numbers and how fit you all are. Prices are a rough guide: they depend on the city, the time slot and the venue.
| Futsal | 5-a-side | 7-a-side | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Players per team | 5 (4 + goalkeeper) | 5 (4 + goalkeeper) | 7 (6 + goalkeeper) |
| Ideal group size | 10-12 people | 10-12 people | 14-16 people |
| Typical dimensions | 40 x 20 m (official) | Varies; commercial pitches around 25-42 m long | 50-65 x 30-45 m |
| Surface | Hard court: parquet, concrete or synthetic | Artificial grass | Artificial grass |
| Ball | Size 4, reduced bounce | Normal size 4 or 5 | Size 5 (size 4 in junior categories) |
| Official match length | 2 halves of 20 min, stopped clock | No fixed rule; booked by the hour | 2 halves of 25 min at senior level |
| Physical demand | Very intense in bursts: constant short sprints | Intense but with breathers; small pitch | More continuous running; more ground per player |
| Rough price per player | €1.50-€3 at a municipal court | €3-€5 at a private pitch | €4-€7 at a private pitch |
Futsal: hard floor, heavy ball, quick thinking
Futsal is played on a hard 40 x 20 metre court, usually in an indoor sports hall. Five per team, goalkeeper included. The ball is a size 4 with reduced bounce — around 30-40% less than a normal ball: it's made to be played along the floor and to feet.
An official match is two 20-minute halves with the clock stopped, which in practice stretches to over an hour. In a casual game nobody stops the clock: you book the court for an hour and off you go.
It's the most technical and most tactical format. Tiny spaces, constant pressing, and the hard floor is unforgiving: the falls and sudden stops take their toll. You play in flat-soled trainers, never studs.
5-a-side: the standard artificial-grass kickabout
5-a-side is the same five versus five but on artificial grass, almost always at private venues that rent pitches by the hour. There's no single regulated size: every venue has its own, and many pitches have boards or netting that keep the ball in play.
The ball bounces normally, the grass slows the ground game down a touch, and the walls, where there are any, add a fun dose of chaos. It's the most accessible format: less physical punishment than a hard court, less ground to cover than 7-a-side.
If your group is mixed ability — some who play every week, some coming back after years out — 5-a-side is usually the most forgiving choice.
7-a-side: 11-a-side's little brother
7-a-side is played on half an 11-a-side pitch, between 50-65 metres long and 30-45 wide, on artificial grass. Seven per team and unlimited substitutions in most competitions and casual games.
It's the format that feels most like the real thing: there's room for runs off the ball, wing play, crosses and even the odd long ball. At senior level, official matches are two 25-minute halves; in a kickabout, it's whatever hour or hour and a half you've booked.
The trade-off: there's more ground to cover per player. If you're short on numbers or short on legs, it drags. With subs and 16 people, it's a party.
Which should I pick if there are 10 of us?
Exactly ten: 5-a-side or futsal, five against five with no subs. If someone might drop out at the last minute, go for artificial grass: on a hard court, playing 4 against 5 for a full hour is punishing.
If there are 12 of you, stick with 5-a-side and one sub per team: you'll be glad of it. From 14 up, switch to 7-a-side. Playing 7 against 7 on a 5-a-side pitch is a bottleneck, and playing 5 against 5 on a 7-a-side pitch is a marathon.
Only 8 or 9? Plenty of venues have small pitches where 4 against 4 works perfectly. And if you're short of players, joining an open match with individual spots solves it: on Haypartido you can book your spot in open matches across the province of Cádiz and fill the gaps in your own game.
Which is the most tiring?
Depends what kind of tired we're talking about. Futsal is the king of intensity: short sprints non-stop, nowhere to hide, and the hard floor hammers your knees and ankles. You finish shattered even though you've barely covered any distance.
7-a-side racks up the most metres: bigger pitch, more continuous running, more 30-metre runs off the ball. If you're not match-fit, you'll feel it the next day somewhere specific: the hamstrings.
5-a-side on grass sits in the middle. High intensity but with more breathers, a kinder surface, and matches that regulate themselves: when the group tires, the pace drops on its own. Rule of thumb: to suffer as little as possible, 7-a-side with plenty of subs; to suffer a lot in a short time, futsal.
Which is best for coming back after years out?
5-a-side on artificial grass, by a distance. The surface is far more forgiving than a hard court, the small pitch doesn't demand stamina, and the group sets the pace.
Second choice: 7-a-side with subs. You can pace yourself, come off, catch your breath and go back on. What we wouldn't recommend from the off is competitive futsal: it's the format where a lack of sharpness costs you most and where it's easiest to get injured on day one.
Two comeback tips: play your first few weeks with people at your level (open matches usually state the expected standard) and stretch afterwards, not just before. The third match is the dangerous one: you think you're fit again, and you're not yet.
How much does each format cost per player?
Futsal at a municipal sports hall is the cheapest: many public courts work out, split between 10, at €1.50-€3 a head. The catch: getting a slot, because the good times go fast.
A private 5-a-side pitch usually costs between €30 and €50 an hour depending on city and time slot: between 10 players, that's €3-€5 a head. 7-a-side costs more: the pitch is twice the size and hire runs around €60-€90 an hour, which between 14 works out at €4-€7.
One warning when paying through apps or websites: always check what the price includes. On Haypartido we break it down line by line at the moment you pay: what goes to the venue and the service fee with its VAT, each shown separately. If another platform won't tell you how much it keeps, ask yourself why.
Which format is easiest to find in Andalusia?
Futsal has the biggest public network: almost every town in Andalusia has a sports hall or outdoor multi-sport courts. In the province of Cádiz there are municipal courts everywhere from the capital to the smallest village in the sierra.
7-a-side lives on artificial-grass grounds, widespread in medium and large towns: Jerez, Cádiz, San Fernando, El Puerto, Chiclana, Algeciras. Many are municipal and handed over to clubs in the evenings, so the kickabout slot tends to be at midday or last thing at night.
Commercial 5-a-side — the private pay-by-the-hour venues — is concentrated in urban areas. If you live in a town around the Bay of Cádiz or Campo de Gibraltar you'll have options; in small villages, the municipal futsal court is still king.
In short: pick a format and play
Ten of you and you want an easy life: 5-a-side on grass. Fourteen or more: 7-a-side with subs. You want pace, technique and to pay next to nothing: futsal at a municipal court. Coming back after years out: gentle 5-a-side, no heroics.
The one thing that never changes between formats is how hard it used to be to fill the match. That's what Haypartido is for: open matches with per-player spots at real venues across the province of Cádiz, clear pricing and free cancellation up to 24 hours before kick-off. Pick your format and get in.
Frequently asked questions
In futsal and 5-a-side it's 5 per team, goalkeeper included (10 in total). In 7-a-side it's 7 per team (14 in total). Casual games allow unlimited substitutions, so the comfortable numbers are 10-12 for the five-player formats and 14-16 for 7-a-side.
A futsal ball is size 4 with reduced bounce: it bounces around 30-40% less than a conventional ball. It's designed for ground play on a hard court. 5-a-side and 7-a-side on artificial grass use a normal-bounce ball, size 5 for adults.
Officially: futsal is 2 halves of 20 minutes with the clock stopped; senior 7-a-side is 2 halves of 25 minutes. In casual games the booking rules: typically an hour of pitch time for 5-a-side and futsal, and an hour or an hour and a half for 7-a-side.
For futsal, flat-soled non-marking trainers; never studs on a hard court. For 5-a-side and 7-a-side on artificial grass, short-studded turf or AG (multi-stud) boots. Avoid aluminium 11-a-side studs: on artificial grass they're uncomfortable and dangerous.
There's no offside in futsal. In 7-a-side it depends on the competition: most amateur leagues and casual games don't apply it, though some federated competitions use it with variations. In a game between friends, the norm is to play without it.
Futsal at a municipal court: between 10 players it can work out at €1.50-€3 a head. At private venues, 5-a-side runs around €3-€5 per player and 7-a-side €4-€7. The key is filling the match: every empty spot makes the rest more expensive.
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