We run both 5v5 and 7v7 games across Lisbon, and players often ask which one they should book. The honest answer is both, eventually — but the formats reward different things, and knowing the difference helps you pick the right first game.
5v5: maximum touches, maximum intensity
On a small pitch with four outfield players per side, you are never out of the game. You touch the ball constantly, every mistake is recoverable, and every player defends and attacks. It is the best format for improving fast — your first touch, quick passing and one-v-one game get a workout every minute.
It is also the more forgiving format for fitness: the pitch is small, and in our games with a substitute, players rotate every 7 minutes (with the outgoing player taking a turn in goal), so everyone gets breathers built in.
7v7: more space, more tactics
Seven-a-side opens the game up. There is room for proper positions — defenders who defend, wingers who stay wide — and space to play longer passes and make runs. If you grew up on 11-a-side football, 7v7 will feel closer to the real thing, with about half the running.
The trade-off: fewer touches per player and more distance covered. It rewards positioning and reading the game over raw quickness.
So which should you book?
If you want intensity, touches and fast improvement — or you are coming back from a long break and want substitutions — start with 5v5. If you love the tactical side, have the legs for it, and miss the feeling of a full-size game, book a 7v7.
Both formats run weekly on synthetic pitches across Lisbon, both are booked the same way (pick a game, pay online, show up), and both cost just a few euros. Try one of each and let the football decide.