Here at UK Football Academy Finder, we are often asked about how a player can work out which year group they should be playing in.
As you progress along your football journey, the scouts we have at our UK Football Trials are incredibly informed about the levels players should be at for each year group. That is why the date of birth is such an important metric for all of our UK Football trial players, and is on the sheet that every scout receives.
Similarly, when it comes to UK Football Academies, it is vitally important for everyone to be aware of how the academy works out which age group you as a player belongs to, and every family is crystal clear about the rules and regulations regarding this..
The important birthday is midnight on the 31st of August just before the new season starts.
Any player who intends to play in the under 12’s must be 11 years old at midnight on the 31st August to play in the U12 football for the coming season.
So, if a player, who is 11, has his 12th birthday coming up on the 31st August, he will be playing in the under 13’s for the coming season about to start.
If a player, who is 11, has his 12th birthday coming up on the 1st of September, he will be playing in the under 12’s for the coming season about to start.
This same birthday applies to all age groups and is part of the Football Association’s rules and regulations. This can cause some interesting situations to arise. If you are fortunate to have a birthday in early September, you will be playing in a year group below a friend who might have been born at the end of August. There will clearly be a big difference in the standards of the two year groups, even though the two players concerned may be only born a week or so apart.
We hope that clarifies the situation, and you are now clear about the age group you should be playing in.