Impact of Small-Sided Football Games on Enjoyment and Skill Development among Young Football Academy Players in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad)

Abstract The present study examined the impact of an 8-week small-sided football game (SSG) training programme on skill development and enjoyment among young football academy players aged 10–15 years in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra, India. A total of 40 male academy players were purposively selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (SSG; n = 20) and a control group (traditional training; n = 20). The experimental group participated in structured 3v3, 4v4 and 5v5 small-sided games three times per week for eight weeks, while the control group continued standard academy training involving technical drills, conditioning and large-sided games. Football-specific skills (dribbling speed, passing accuracy, shooting accuracy and agility) were assessed using standardised youth football tests. Enjoyment of physical activity was measured using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES). A pre-test–post-test control group design was adopted, and data were analysed using paired and independent t-tests with significance set at p < 0.05.Results revealed significant improvements in all skill variables and enjoyment scores in the SSG group (p < 0.0001), with large to very large effect sizes. The control group demonstrated modest improvements in skill variables but no significant change in enjoyment. Post-test comparisons indicated that the SSG group significantly outperformed the control group across all measures, particularly in enjoyment (Cohen’s d ≈ 2.65). The findings suggest that small-sided games are an effective and pedagogically sound approach for enhancing both technical performance and intrinsic motivation among youth football players. Integrating structured SSG formats into academy training may support long-term participation and holistic player development in Indian football contexts.