Set Pieces and Game Phase Transitions in Elite Football: Tactical Patterns and Contextual Determinants

Football is a complex dynamic system in which match outcomes emerge from the continuous interaction of technical, tactical, physical, psychological, and contextual factors. Set pieces and transitions between phases of play are particularly influential because they create moments of numerical, spatial, and temporal advantage that can determine performance in increasingly balanced elite competitions. Recent advances in player tracking, event data, positional analysis, network analysis, and artificial intelligence have improved the investigation of these moments. However, existing evidence remains fragmented, often examining offensive and defensive actions separately or focusing on individual competitions and isolated variables. Important questions remain regarding how tactical organization, player interactions, collective behaviours, physical demands, and situational context jointly shape performance during restarts and transitions. A more integrated and ecologically valid understanding is therefore needed to connect tactical patterns with match outcomes and applied decision-making.



This Research Topic aims to advance a multidisciplinary understanding of set pieces, phases of play, and transitional moments in elite football. It seeks to identify the tactical, technical, physical, psychological, and contextual determinants of performance; examine how teams create, prevent, and exploit advantages during critical moments; and evaluate how these processes vary according to match status, opponent quality, competition, location, gender, and competitive level. It also aims to assess the contribution of observational methodologies, tracking data, machine learning, predictive modelling, network analysis, and other advanced approaches to explaining and forecasting performance. By integrating scientific and applied perspectives, the Research Topic will support evidence-based practice among coaches, performance analysts, sport scientists, and other professionals working in elite football.



To gather further insights into set pieces, phases of play, and transitional moments in elite football, this Research Topic will focus on research conducted in professional, international, and other high-performance contexts, while recognising relevant comparisons across competitions, leagues, playing levels, and men’s and women’s football. Contributions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:



Offensive and defensive strategies during corner kicks, free kicks, throw-ins, penalty kicks, goal kicks, and other restart situations

Tactical organisation and collective behaviours during set pieces and transitions

Pressing, counter-pressing, build-up play, counterattacking, and recovery phases

Player interactions, spatial relations, numerical superiority, and positional structures

Physical and perceptual demands associated with transitions and critical moments

The influence of match status, opponent quality, match location, and competitive level

Temporal changes in performance within matches, seasons, and competitions

Effects of fixture congestion, fatigue, squad rotation, and rule modifications on set-piece and transition performance

Applications of tracking data, event data, observational methodology, and positional analysis

Machine learning, artificial intelligence, network analysis, predictive modelling, and other advanced analytical techniques

Comparative research across leagues, competitions, playing levels, and men’s and women’s football

Links between tactical behaviours, set-piece and transition effectiveness, and match outcomes

Translation of research findings into coaching, performance analysis, and sport science practice

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Set pieces, Corner kicks, Free kicks, Football transitions, Pressing, Tactical analysis, Player tracking data, Elite football performance

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.