The Grassroots Football Market

The Football Association estimates there are over 30,000 grassroots football clubs in England alone. Despite this, demand for quality coaching, particularly for younger age groups and girls' football, continues to grow. The FA's push for Wildcats centres (girls-only sessions) and the success of the Lionesses have opened up a significantly underserved market.

You can enter this market as a coaching business (running sessions and academies for a fee) or as a community club (with volunteer coaches and lower fees). Both models can be successful, but they require different approaches to structure and funding.

FA Accreditation

The FA Charter Standard programme was the traditional quality mark for grassroots clubs, though the FA has been evolving this into the FA Accredited programme. Accreditation demonstrates that your club meets minimum standards for coaching, safeguarding, and governance.

Football training pitch with goals and markings ready for coaching sessions — Securing reliable pitch access is a key early step when setting up a football academy

Benefits of Accreditation

Access to FA grants and funding (often essential for pitch improvements and equipment)
Credibility with parents and local authorities
Insurance cover through the FA
Priority access to council pitches in many local authority areas
Listing on the FA's club finder

Requirements

All coaches must hold a minimum FA qualification (Level 1 Introduction to Coaching Football or higher)
All coaches and volunteers in contact with children must have enhanced DBS checks
A designated Club Welfare Officer who has completed the FA Safeguarding Children Workshop
A written safeguarding policy
Codes of conduct for coaches, players, and parents
A minimum number of qualified first aiders

Coaching Qualifications

The FA coaching pathway:

FA Playmaker: Free online course, designed for parents and volunteers. Not sufficient for leading sessions independently.
FA Level 1 Introduction to Coaching Football: The entry-level coaching qualification. Approximately 34 hours of learning. Costs around £150-£200.
FA Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football: The standard qualification for coaching teams and running sessions. More in-depth tactical and technical content. Costs around £300-£400.
FA Level 3 (UEFA B): For coaches working with performance-level players. Requires significant experience and investment.

Specialist courses are also available: FA Youth Modules (age-specific coaching), FA Goalkeeping courses, and the FA's women and girls' coaching pathway.

Pitch Access and Facilities

Types of Pitch

Council grass pitches: The cheapest option, typically £30-£80 per session. Quality varies enormously, and winter cancellations due to waterlogged pitches are common.
3G artificial pitches: More expensive (£60-£150 per hour) but available year-round regardless of weather. Increasingly the preferred option for academies and midweek training.
School pitches: Many schools hire out their facilities during evenings and weekends. Often good value, particularly for midweek training sessions.
Indoor facilities: Sports halls and indoor domes for wet-weather alternatives and small-sided games.

Equipment

Football has relatively low equipment costs compared to most other activities:

Footballs (size-appropriate for age groups): £100-£300 for a full set
Training cones, markers, and poles: £50-£150
Portable goals (if not provided by the venue): £200-£800 per pair
Bibs and training tops: £50-£100 per set
First aid kit: £30-£50

Safeguarding in Football

The FA takes safeguarding extremely seriously following high-profile historical cases. Your safeguarding obligations include:

A designated Club Welfare Officer (this is mandatory for FA accreditation)
Enhanced DBS checks for all coaches, volunteers, and committee members with access to children
All coaches completing the FA Safeguarding Children Workshop (refreshed every three years)
A clear reporting procedure linked to the FA's safeguarding team and your county FA
Codes of conduct for coaches, parents, and players displayed prominently

Tournament Organisation

Hosting tournaments is an excellent way to build your reputation and generate additional revenue:

Children playing football during a coaching session on a grass pitch — Fun, structured sessions keep young players engaged and developing their skills

Sanctioning: All competitions must be sanctioned through your county FA. Submit your application well in advance.
Insurance: Ensure your event insurance covers the tournament specifically, including visiting teams.
Logistics: Multiple pitches, referees, first aid cover, results tracking, parking, and catering all need careful planning.
Revenue: Entry fees per team, plus income from a refreshment stand, can make tournaments a profitable addition to your calendar.

Managing registrations, fixtures, and results for a tournament is a significant administrative task. Using a platform like AMES to handle team registrations and scheduling takes the chaos out of tournament day.

Growing Beyond Grassroots

If your ambition extends beyond recreational coaching:

Player Development Programmes: Structured midweek training with performance tracking, feeding into county and regional squads
Holiday camps: Intensive coaching during school holidays, a popular and profitable offering
Girls' football: An underserved and rapidly growing market. The FA actively supports new girls' provision with funding and resources.
Futsal: The FA is increasingly promoting futsal (indoor small-sided football) as a development tool. Futsal sessions fill timetable gaps and develop technical skills.

Actionable Takeaways

Complete your FA Level 1 qualification as soon as possible. Many county FAs run courses monthly.
Register with your county FA and begin the accreditation process. The credibility and funding access it provides is worth the effort.
Secure regular pitch access. A 3G pitch booking on a consistent day and time makes it far easier to build a regular squad.
Appoint a Club Welfare Officer immediately. This is mandatory for accreditation and shows parents you take safeguarding seriously.