A player looks to play the ball around a group of opponents.

Session programme

Session programme: passing and receiving to score

Session

England Football Learning

5 mins - Jan 6, 2025

Programme intentions

This six-week programme aims to help your players:

work on different passing techniques
combine with others
explore how they can receive the ball effectively
how to use passing and receiving skills to create goalscoring opportunities.

If you're short on time, this structured training programme can be used as it is. Pitch sizes in this programme are shown as how long the pitch is x how wide it is, but these are just suggestions.

To make the programme more effective, adapt it to suit your players, your numbers and the space you have. If you want to skip, repeat or amend these sessions – that's fine. It’s up to you how you use this resource.

If you like this idea, download the whole programme and give it a go. And don't forget to share your experience on the England Football Community. We'd love to know how you got on.

If you’re coaching U7s, please note that from the 2026-27 season, changes will be made to the formats to improve the experience young players get across the country. Check out the Future Fit digital content hub to find out more and alter training plans accordingly.

Week one: building technique

Playing in the grids: Create a 20x20-yard area and split it into four grids. Have four neutral players positioned around the area. Everyone else are in teams of two or three in the area depending on your numbers. Teams start in different grids, and each team starts with a ball.
One player in each team passes to neutral player. The neutral player, receives and passes back to someone else in that team. That player then receives and passes to a different neutral player. Teams move between grids, and the neutral players move up and down their line.
End zones: Half your area to create two pitches with end zones. Each side has a target player to aim for in an end zone. Players combine with teammates to pass to their target player, earning them a point. Play then restarts with the other team. Play for three minutes then swap teams around.
Passing bingo: Agree on nine passes to achieve, like a left-foot pass or a chipped pass. Put these in a bingo grid. Allocate one team as ‘Xs’ and one as ‘Os’ then play a normal game on each pitch. When an action has been completed players mark it off. Teams try to get three in a row to win.

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Coaching points

Allow for your players to practise multiple techniques and decide which methods work best.
Challenge players to think about how they can move the ball out of their feet to create an angle to play a longer pass.
Encourage bravery in passing and moving quickly.
Consider if space and time is impacting execution of the pass.
Encourage players to scan and consider their positioning.

On the pitch: week one

Looking for more detail? Check out this video to see what it can look like on the pitch. You can also get more information about the first week of the programme here.

Week two: combine with a partner

Combine with a partner: Split your pitch down the middle to create two 20x15-yard channels. Each channel has a line of cones down the middle and a mini-goal at the end where the players start. In twos, players pass and move down the channel and back. They then pass into the mini-goal to score.
Progress the arrival activity by introducing the two-player core moves, such as an overlap, and challenging players to use them as they move up and down the channel.
2v1s to score: For this 2v1 activity, use the same pitches but have a mini-goal at each end. The two players combine to beat their opponent and score. Encourage them to try different two-player core moves to get past the defender. If the defender wins the ball, they try to score at the other end.
Small-sided games: Progress to small-sided games on pitches that have a goal at each end. Encourage players to use two-player core moves by giving teams a bonus point if they use one. Use pass-ins if the ball goes off the side of the pitch and use the retreat line rule after a goal has been scored.

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Coaching points

Consider using variations on two-player moves.
Consider key capabilities such as scanning, positioning, and technique.
Allow players to make their own choices on which moves work best.
Encourage players to get their heads up to scan for teammates and space.
Get players to think about their positioning by asking “can you see the ball, and can the ball see your feet?”

On the pitch: week two

Looking for more detail? Check out this video to see what it can look like on the pitch. You can also get more information about the second week of the programme here.

Week three: receiving in space

Ball tag: Set up a 25x25-yard area. Split your group into four teams. Three teams have a ball. The other team are the taggers. Taggers can only tag a player who has a ball. The other teams support each other by passing and moving to avoid being tagged. Players high-five a tagged player to free them.
Around the clock: Use cones to create a circle within half of your pitch. Split your group into teams of three or four players. One player from each team starts in the middle with everyone else spread around the area. Each team can have one or two footballs between them.
Players in the middle receive the ball, then turn and pass to a teammate who’s free. They then receive another pass and repeat. Progress the practice by allowing players on the outside to move around so those in the middle need to scan to find them.
Connect four: Set up a 35x20-yard area with a square in each corner. Have one attacking team versus one defending team. Attackers need to pass to a teammate in a square to score. Defenders need to stop them from scoring. If they win the ball, the defenders then become attackers.

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Coaching points

Ask players to pass the ball how they’d like to receive it and encourage them to make some kind of connection before they pass the ball. For example, communication or eye contact.
Once players have passed the ball, ask them to move into a new space to be ready to receive again.
Remind players to scan and think about what’s around them.

On the pitch: week three

Looking for more detail? Check out this video to see what it can look like on the pitch. You can also get more information about the third week of the programme here.

Week four: passing to penetrate

Passing gates: For this activity, set up an 20x15 yard area with two gates across the middle and a mini-goal at each end. Teams have their own half, and one starts with the ball. They pass it between themselves before passing through a gate to the other team.
Progress the activity by adding competition. Teams score one point if their pass through a gate goes beyond the end line, and multiple points if they can pass into the opposition’s mini-goal. This gets teams to start thinking about how to play a through-ball beyond defenders.
Breaking the line: On the same pitches, have two attackers and one defender in each half. But adjust the teams and pitches to match your numbers. In this practice, attackers combine to beat the press and pass to the attackers in the other half. They get a point each time they successfully do this.
Defenders always have one screening on the halfway line with the other defender going to press. They swap roles when the ball goes into the other half. If the defenders win the ball, they try to score in a mini-goal.
Table football: Split your whole area into thirds and have a goal at each end. Players are assigned a third and locked into them. The aim is to work the ball through the thirds to get it to a forward who tries to score.

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Coaching points

Get your players to think about the timing of their passes.
Encourage your players to think about how you can help other players to pass forward with the previous pass or movement.
Explore how to best use body shape and receiving angles to play forward.
Use the right terminology for your players to encourage them to scan and pick their next pass. Reminding them to “keep the ball away from the fire” can be a good phrase for young players. It encourages them to see where the danger is (opponents) and make a good pass selection to beat the press.

On the pitch: week four

Looking for more detail? Check out this video to see what it can look like on the pitch.

Week five: combinations to play forward

Set-up zones: Create a 25x20 yard pitch with goals and an end zone at each end. Split your players into two teams. Each team has two target players in one of the end zones. Teams combine to pass to their target players. After receiving a pass, target players turn and score unopposed.
Through the gates: Using cones, place loads of ‘gates’ around your pitch. Vary the size and angle of the gates. Split players into pairs or threes. Challenge them to pass through the gates to a teammate using different techniques. Players move around the area to pass through different gates.
Set-up zones: Return to the original practice but this time, add goalkeepers. If players need a further challenge, add a defender in the end zones, too.

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Coaching points

Get your players to consider techniques and the weight of pass.
Support players to have a positive first touch to help the next move.
Ask players to think about their positioning in ‘through the gates’. If the receiver stands a bit behind a gate, rather than in it, it will encourage the passer to play a longer pass.
To keep the intensity high, challenge players to ‘not let the ball stop’.
Whole-part-whole session allows for players to work on key areas, so keep an eye out in the first section for what they may need to work on in the technical practice.

On the pitch: week five

Looking for more detail? Check out this video to see what it can look like on the pitch.

Week six: passing to score festival

Passing gates: Create two 20x15 yard pitches with two gates across the middle and a mini-goal at each end. Teams have their own half. One starts with a ball. Teams get one point if they pass through a gate and it goes beyond the end line and three points if they pass into the opposition’s mini-goal.
Small-sided games: Progress into small-sided games on your pitches. Teams can only score with a one-touch finish. Use pass-ins if the ball goes off the side of the pitch, but there are no corners. Players also can't use their hands to make a save.
Connect four: Put a square in each corner of your area. Have three teams of attackers, one team of defenders. Attackers have a ball per team. They get a point for passing to a teammate in a square. They do this as many times as possible in one minute – but must score in a different square each time.
Defenders try to stop the attackers from scoring. If they manage to touch a football, they get one point. If they win the ball and score in a mini-goal, they get three points. Play 90-second rounds and rotate the defending team until every team has had a go at defending.
Three-goal game: Finish with a small-sided game on a pitch that has a large goal and two mini-goals at each end. Teams get a point for scoring in any of the goals they’re attacking. But if they score with a first-time finish, they get two points.

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Coaching points

Remind players to pass with purpose. Whether it’s first-time passing, combination play, or two-player core moves, they all can be used to solve problems on the football pitch. Use a variety of coaching interventions, such as a ‘stop, stand still’ or ‘drive by’ coaching.
Don’t be afraid to support, however find a balance to allow them to demonstrate their understanding and problem-solving abilities.
Feel free to adapt games you’ve used over the weeks that the players have liked, just remember the focus of the sessions.