The FIFA 11+ Warm-Up, Explained Step by Step

The FIFA 11+ is a free, structured warm-up program built specifically for soccer, developed by FIFA's medical research group. Teams that run it consistently — in place of a standard jog-and- stretch warm-up — have shown meaningfully lower rates of injury, including the ACL tears covered in ACL Injury Prevention for Female Soccer Players. It takes about 20 minutes and needs no equipment beyond a ball and some cones.

The three-part structure

The program runs in a fixed order: running exercises to raise heart rate and rehearse movement patterns, then a block of strength, balance, and plyometric exercises, then a final set of faster running exercises that bridge into practice or the match.

Part 1: Running (about 8 minutes)

A series of paired running exercises across roughly 20 meters at controlled pace, rehearsing the movement patterns used later in the session:

• Straight-ahead running
• Running with hip out (opening the hip while jogging)
• Running with hip in (rotating the hip inward while jogging)
• Circling around a partner
• Shoulder-to-shoulder contact runs with a partner
• Quick forward sprints with a check and backward jog

Part 2: Strength, balance, and plyometrics (about 10 minutes)

This is the core injury-prevention block, built around six exercise families. Each has three difficulty levels — start at level 1 for the first weeks and progress as the exercises feel controlled:

• The plank. A front-plank hold, progressing to alternating leg lifts. Same family as the planks in Core Strength for Soccer.
• Side plank. A side-plank hold, progressing to a raise-and-lower of the top leg.
• Hamstrings. A kneeling hamstring-lowering exercise — the same family as the Nordic curl, starting from a shorter range and progressing toward the full movement.
• Single-leg balance. Standing on one leg with eyes open, progressing to eyes closed or on an unstable surface, and eventually with a partner gently pushing to test stability.
• Squats. Bodyweight squats progressing to single-leg squats, with a focus on the knee tracking over the toes rather than caving inward.
• Jumping. Vertical jumps progressing to lateral jumps and jumps with a header, always emphasizing a soft, controlled landing.

Part 3: Running (about 2 minutes)

A short final set of faster running exercises — straight sprints, bounding, and plant-and-cut movements — that raise intensity back up and rehearse cutting mechanics right before practice or kickoff.

How often to run it

The protective effect comes from consistency, not intensity. Running the full program before every practice and match — not just occasionally — is what the research behind it actually tested. Coaches and captains can lead it once players know the exercises; after a few weeks it takes barely more time than a standard warm-up.

Who it's for

The FIFA 11+ was designed for players roughly age 14 and up, though a youth-adapted version with simplified exercises exists for younger age groups. For guidance on what's appropriate at different ages more broadly, see Strength Training by Age. The consistent stretching built into this warm-up also helps manage growth-related conditions like Osgood-Schlatter and Sever's disease.

For the full picture on why these particular exercises matter and how to build on them with dedicated strength work, see ACL Injury Prevention for Female Soccer Players and the Strength Training for Soccer Players guide.