User Functions

3 Thirds Match / Communication Net

Type of tool: 
60-90 min
Topics addressed: 
Conflict management

3 thirds match is based on the principle that the basic values of fair play gender equalityt eamwork and respect are just as important as football skills
The activity has three phases:Pre Match discussion – games match - Post Match discussion
3 third


The overall objective of is to promote key life skills and empower youth
to become leaders in their communities. With its strong emphasis on dialogue and conflict resolution,


- Sports game match

Step by step process: 

3 thirds match is inspired by street football; players meet, form teams, agree on rules and play football. 3 thirds match harnesses the educational potential of street football by ensuring that dialogue and fair play are integral to the game.
It can be played by anyone, anywhere and it can be used to address any social topic. There are no referees. Instead, mediators

3 thirds match lasts for 30 minutes and it incorporates ‘three halves’’:

The first half:
Pre-match discussion: Prior to the match, the two teams come together to agree on the rules they want to use.
There are two types of rules: fixed and variable.
Fixed rules are: offside is not applicable, exchanging players is not defined and might be used anytime, if a player falls down the game stops and players from the other team should help him get up, fair play is a must, fouls and offences should not be done.
Variable rules are: goal keepers can be changed, both competitive team should celebrate each goal regardless of who scored it, goals scored by girls is counted as two instead of one, both teams should go in and out of the playground while holding each other hands, all players should pass the ball at least once before a goal is scored, goals can be scored from any point on the playground or from half the pitch.

The second half:
The football match is played on smaller and improvised pitches, on the street, at a park or on a football field. Teams are mixed-gender, formed from 5 to 7 players each, matches are played without referees and lasts from 15 to 20 min according to the pre-discussion phase. Matches can be played on streets, gardens, playgrounds (no need for an official playground). Players take responsibility for their match and comply with the rules they agreed upon. During the match, they agree among themselves on fouls, free kicks and goals scored. The mediator monitors the match and intervenes only if the two teams cannot come to an agreement on their own.
All players continue playing until this phase ends.

The third half:
Post-match discussion: Following the match, the teams are brought together to reflect on the match and how well they respected the rules.
Facilitator will ask the teams about:
their participation,
did all players participated in all phases?
commitment to rules,
did they celebrate when goals were scored regardless of who’s scoring team?
were the players getting along together in each team?
were there any players rejected from their own team?
did the players listen to each other during discussions?
Did they forgive each other if they caused each other to fall?

Score sheet:
Points are counted as follows:
Participation: 1 point for participation: each team is granted one points for participation that he might loses if one of the players was not present during the pre-match or post-match phases
Evaluation: each team evaluates the opponent team based on the rules agreed upon: 1 point if the team did not comply to rules, 2 points if the team complied to some of the rules, 3 points if the team complied to all rules.
Self-evaluation: each team evaluates themselves based on the rules agreed upon: 1 point if the team did not comply to rules, 2 points if the team complied to some of the rules, 3 points if the team complied to all rules.
Game score: points are given for the goals scored: 1 point if the team lost, 2 points if there is a tie, 3 points if the team wins.
Final score: is the total of all the above points.

Also, Parents will participate in a Work Shop. In this workshop there will be role playing as follows: Parents – Coaches – youths. Parents will be divided into 3 groups and each group of parents will play the previously mentioned roles. Then each group will change to another role until all the groups will have played all the 3 roles.
The objectives of this workshop are: the parents will get to know each other, they will get to know how their children are playing, to communicate with each other as parents, change should not only be on the youth level but should also incorporate their parents in order to make a real change towards social cohesion.

Materials and resources: 

- 1 Ball
- Papers Match info
- 2 Pens


Youth that are acquainted and tolerant for gender equality, with developed social values, communication skills, creative thinking.
Activist youth, leaders and decision makers.



- inclusivity can include all the participants even in case of disabilities, and both genders
- Flexible rules that gives the opportunity to adapt the activity with the logistic conditions and engaging the participants in communication and framing the tool
- Doesn’t need a special setting so it can be adjusted to any Indoor-outdoor space
- Putting the participants outside of their comfort zone, and providing the opportunity for females to be more active in sports activities


- The challenge to convince youth to challenge the gender stereotypes about sports, and integrate changes to a well known sport

Notes for further use: 

Attached score sheet

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