Girls' Talent Pathway

In 2011, The FA completed a comprehensive 18 month consultation and review into our talent development programmes for girls and based on these findings, restructured the pathway. 

As part of this, The FA committed to an ongoing review of this new structure and to communicate by March 2012 if there were to be any modifications.  Please find the following information:-
 
1. Subject to the continuation of both FA and external funding, the existing 30 FA Girls’ Centres of Excellence that fulfil their FA Licence agreement and meet the strict criteria going forward, will retain their FA licence until the end of the 2013-14 season

2. A 31st FA Girls’ Centre of Excellence licence will be available to an organisation in the far north east of the country that can meet the strict criteria.  This is to run a brand new Centre to start at the beginning of the 2012-13 season to service the geographical need of talented players, particularly in Sunderland and Newcastle, that cannot access the existing nearest FA Girls’ Centre of Excellence programme.

3. In 2014, The FA will re-open the application process for these 31 FA Girls’ Centre of Excellence licences to all organisations that wish to apply. This timescale has been agreed to dovetail into the plans to explore the introduction of a second tier of The FA WSL in 2014, ensuring that the whole talent pathway of women's football is developed in parallel.

4. Funding will be also be available to develop eight more FA Girls’ Player Development Centres for the 2012-13 season. This will offer more support to more grassroots players who show future potential for our game.  This will be developed further in conjunction with the County FAs and their local partners.