national competitions – Page 2 – English Schools' Football Association

The English Schools’ Football Association have opened entries for their National Schools’ Cup Competitions for the 2022/23 season!

The ESFA’s ever growing portfolio of competitions attract over 16,000 teams to enter each season and cover all age groups from U11-U18. National Competitions are at the very heart of what the ESFA has to offer, in creating thousands of opportunities for children to play grassroots football at a National level. Each season culminates with a period of National Finals, in which finalists travel to various prestigious football stadia across England to compete to be crowned champions of England in their respective competitions.

ESFA Chair Stuart Botham said: In the 2022/23 season, we have the chance to make schools’ football a memorable experience for everyone involved in a safe and inclusive environment, that provides National Competitions for all schools and for children of all ages and abilities.

If your school has previously been involved in our National Cup Competitions, I know you will recognise their value and be keen to enter again this season. If you are considering entering for the first time, you have the opportunity to give your players the unique and special experience created by the English Schools’ FA and showcased through the continual provision and improvement of their fantastic competition portfolio.

Click below to download the ESFA’s Competitions PDF brochure which lists all of the competitions the ESFA offers, eligibility criteria and information on how to register your teams.

Make sure you are quick though, the entry deadline for all National Competitions is Saturday 23rd July so make sure you get your entries in and join the 16,000+ teams taking part!

The English Schools' FA

The National Governing Body for Schools’ Football in England.

The Schools’ Football Season kicks off for 21/22 – and it’s planned to be better than ever!

September is here, schools have reopened across England after the summer break and the ESFA Schools’ Football Season is due to kick off for 2021/2022. With the Covid-19 pandemic causing significant issues, delays and cancellations to both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, it is with high hopes that we enter into the new season, armed with new competitions, partners and activities for school children, teachers, volunteers and supporters to enjoy.

National Schools’ Cup Competitions

The first National Cup deadlines aren’t until the 25 September, giving schools a chance to settle back into their weekly routines before the tournaments kick off, but fixtures are already scheduled to take place in the first rounds of some National Cup competitions. The National Competitions have attracted almost as many entries as was being received pre-pandemic, a huge boost for the ESFA and confirmation that the schools’ cup competitions offered are of high importance and value to schools and school pupils who take part.

ESFA handbooks and information emails will be distributed to participating schools in the coming days, with full information on competition participation and rules.

Representative Football

The ESFA has changed its competition format for representative football in a shake-up for the 21/22 season, with the Champions Cup now being the title for all District and County competitions. The new format will not only provide more opportunities for teams to play (as the competition is structured in a ‘champions league’ format, rather than knockout), but will also provide a pathway towards more funding for this type of activity. You can read more about the Champions Cup and Player Passport here.

Sponsors & Partners

Keep an eye on our website and social channels throughout September and October, to find out all about the ESFA’s sponsors and partners and how they’ll be supporting the Association throughout the coming months.

We’ll be re-launching all of our partnerships for the new season with lots of information on how we can spread the joy of schools’ football further than just the pitch. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for regular updates and also insights into team accomplishments throughout the coming months!

To find out more about the ESFA’s current sponsors and partners, you can click here.