With the current season drawing to a close now is the time to make sure your club is Match Ready for 24 / 25.

Next season grassroots football will be the safest and most inclusive yet with the FA introducing new criteria that must be met at the point of affiliation.

To help your club get Match Ready we have detailed what criteria must be met before you can affiliate.

All Clubs

Public Liability Insurance – All clubs are required to have Legal Liability Insurance covering the club for the upcoming year. This must be a minimum of £10million pounds and can be purchased at the point of affiliation.

Club Ground – All clubs must state their main home ground or grounds. You can do this ahead of affiliation through the ‘My Club’ tab. You can find guidance on how to complete this by clicking here.

Key Officials – Clubs are required to state their key officials which include Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Welfare Officer. You can find guidance on how to add your key officials by clicking here.

Safeguarding Declaration – Every club will be required to agree to a Safeguarding Declaration. Where clubs have teams that play across different levels of the game, multiple declarations must be accepted (available from 1st June 2024).

Clubs With Adult and Adult Disability Teams:

It is mandatory for clubs to have Personal Accident Insurance for each individual adult team. This can be purchased at the point of affiliation.

It is mandatory for all clubs with open-age adult teams to have a named Club Welfare Officer at the point of affiliation.

It is mandatory for all Club Welfare Officers to have an in date and accepted DBS check at the point of affiliation.

It is mandatory for all Club Welfare Officers to have in-date England Football Player Welfare in Adult Football Course qualification at the point of affiliation.

Every affiliated team must have a named manager.

If a team has players registered who are under the age of 18 then all named team officials are required to have an in date and accepted DBS. This includes Managers, Coaches, Physios and First Aiders but excludes Team Secretaries.

It is mandatory for all named team officials to have completed the Player Welfare in Open Age Football Course prior to affiliation. This includes Managers, Coaches, Physios and First Aiders but excludes Team Secretaries.

Clubs With Youth and Youth Disability Teams:

It is mandatory for all for teams at U13 and above to have Personal Accident Insurance. This can be purchased at the point of affiliation.

It is mandatory for all assigned youth team managers and coaches to have an in date England Learning Safeguarding Children qualification and an in date and accepted DBS.

How can all clubs get Match Ready for 24 / 25?

Log on to the Club Portal and familiarise yourself with the different tabs.

Start detaching any players that will not be part of your club in season 24 / 25. Click here for guidance.

Ensure all outstanding discipline invoices from this season are paid. You will not be able to complete your affiliation for season 24 / 25 without these being paid.

Ensure all player suspensions from last season have been assigned fixtures (unless the suspension is carrying over to next season). If you need any help, please contact tina.edwards@eastridingfa.com

How can clubs with Adult Teams get ready for 24 / 25?

Identify who will be club Welfare Officer and ask them to complete the Player Welfare in Open Age Football Course.

Once the club Welfare Officer has been identified they must all also have an in date DBS. This can be actioned by contacting steve.lazenby@eastridingfa.com

If your team is planning on registering players under the age of 18 next season then identify who will be the named Team officials and ask them to complete the Player Welfare in Open Age Football Course.

Once the named Team Officials has been identified they must all also have an in date DBS. This can be actioned by contacting steve.lazenby@eastridingfa.com

How can clubs with Youth Teams get ready for 24 / 25?

Conduct an audit of which named team officials have a DBS which is due to expire. Ask your Club to renew the Team Officials DBS.

Conduct an audit of which named team officials have England Learning Safeguarding Children Qualification which are due to expire. Ask them to complete the free Safeguarding Children Recertification course.

If you are planning on introducing naming new Team Officials next season then make sure they complete both of the above actions.

We are here to help. If you have any questions or need some advice, please email info@eastridingfa.com and a member of staff will be happy to assist you.