Youth Club Welfare Officer
If your league or club runs teams from mini-soccer to under-18s, it is now an FA requirement for a Welfare Officer, who has completed an FA Criminal Records Bureau application, to be in place to be able to affiliate your league or club. Making an appointment is not a huge job. Once in place, Cornwall FA provides full training and offers ongoing guidance, advice and sharing of best practice. Full details are in the leaflet which is available on the right. Please contact us if you have any questions.
When Children Are Permitted to Play in Competitive Matches
There are FA regulations and advice about when children can take part in matches and at what age. Children must be 8 years old at 31st August to be able to play in a league. The full information on age groups is available on the right. There is further information in the updated Mini-Soccer handbook which is available on the right.
Advice on International Clearance For Players
The FA’s registrations team is mindful of the pitfalls of advising on the position of players from abroad who join teams in England and urges all County FAs to inform their clubs that all players moving countries (including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) must have International Clearance. This includes players outside of the National League System and for example, playing in a local Sunday League. It applies to all players over the age of 12.
Please see the full regulations on the FA website using the link on the right. The appropriate form is available from there too.
If in doubt please contact The FA or 0207 745 4629
Playing Matches Against International Opposition
Information is available on the right. Teams from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are not considered to be international opposition, therefore no special permission is needed to play against these teams. Teams from the Republic of Ireland are classed as international opposition so the guidelines for permission must be followed.
Go to top