Play Football in Dubai

Join football games at your own standard — no team, no club membership, no group chat required.

How football games are played on Lineup

Football on Lineup runs in small-sided formats, most often 5-a-side and 7v7, because those are the games that actually fill on a weeknight in Dubai. A 7v7 needs fourteen people, and assembling fourteen is exactly the problem Lineup exists to solve.

Scoring is simply goals for each side. Once the result is confirmed, everyone who played has their football level adjusted by it.

What your football level actually measures

Football is a team game, so the assessment looks past finishing. It asks how comfortable you are receiving and controlling the ball under pressure, how accurate your passing is over twenty metres and more, and whether you read positional shape and make the right runs.

One question checks something only a player would know: the situation you can never be offside directly from. It is a small guard against a self-rating that has never been tested.

Your football level is separate from your level in every other sport, and it is worked out from results rather than from what anyone claims about themselves. There is more on how levels are decided.

What each level looks like in football

Levels run from 0 to 7 and are held to one decimal, so most people sit between these bands. This is a guide to what each one tends to look like on court, not a test you sit.

1 · Beginner

First touch is unpredictable and you are usually chasing the game rather than reading it.

2 · Novice

You control the ball under light pressure and complete short passes, though the head stays down.

3 · Intermediate

Reliable first touch, accurate passing over twenty metres, and you hold a position instead of following the ball everywhere.

4 · Skilled

Comfortable under pressure, you pick a pass before receiving, and your movement drags defenders out of shape.

5 · Advanced

You dictate the tempo of a small-sided game and your positioning is consistently right without being told.

6 · Expert

Semi-competitive standard, usually with organised club football behind it.

7 · Elite

The top of the scale, earned against consistently strong opposition.

Joining a football game

You do not need a team, a partner or a group. You take one open place in a game and the rest of the roster fills around you. Every listing shows the venue, the time, the format, the cost and the level range before you commit, so you know who you are playing with. See how finding players works.

If you have booked a court you can no longer use, you can pass it on rather than lose it. See court slots.

Common questions about football in Dubai

How is a football match scored on Lineup?

Goals for each team. When the result is confirmed, every player's football level moves with it.

What formats does football run in?

Small-sided games, most commonly 5-a-side and 7v7. Each listing shows the format before you join.

Can I join a football game alone in Dubai?

Yes. Most people do. You take one open place and the rest of the side fills in around you.

What else can I play?

Lineup covers eight sports: padel, football, tennis, cricket, badminton, basketball, volleyball and pickleball. See everything Lineup does.

Other sports in Dubai

Padel · Cricket · Badminton · Basketball · Tennis · Pickleball · Volleyball