Do I still go to Whole Game System to complete my club affiliation?
No, you can access your affiliation in our Clubs Portal (Clubs.TheFA.com) in your ‘Teams’ tab.
Does this mean my club affiliation will cost more?
The cost of affiliation is set by your County FA. Please contact your County FA to find out more
How can I pay for my clubs’ affiliation?
You can pay via debit/credit cards direct through Clubs Portal. If you need to pay in any other format, please contact your County FA for more information.
When can I start affiliating my club?
You can start affiliating in June.
Can I only affiliate one team at a time?
No, you can affiliate all your teams at once, or a number of your choice, when your teams are ready to be affiliated.
Can a manager be assigned to more than one team?
Yes, where coaches are across several teams, clubs can reflect this on the portal.
Do I need to register my U5/U6 provision?
Yes, all 'Play Phase' provision should be added to the system with the coaches taking the sessions defined on Club Portal. This allows you to monitor the safeguarding requirements of those running your development sessions
Can we have two club secretary’s?
No, only one person can be given the role of secretary. Multiple assistant secretary's can be added and will have the same functionality as the club secretary
Do we get an affiliation number?
No. As we move to a team based model working 365 days a year, a club affiliation number would not be sufficient proof for a competition that a team is affiliated. Instead, teams will have an 'affiliation status' which will be visible to clubs, leagues and County FAs.
Our venue isn't fully confirmed yet, can i change my ground details once a team has affiliated?
Yes, you can change your team grounds at any time
Can I change league once i've affiliated a team?
Yes, where no players are registered you will be able to change the league. When you change league, the league your leaving, and your County FA, will be automatically notified
Will my existing youth teams move up an age group automatically or do i have to edit the teams?
Existing youth teams will automatically move up an age group when the new affiliation process opens for you
Can I change my club name?
To change your club name, please contact your County FA
I cannot find the league that my team plays in
You may need to search under a different County FA or The FA depending on which Association the League is sanctioned by.
SAFEGUARDING DECLARATION
What is the Safeguarding Declaration?
The Safeguarding Declaration is a statement of intent, a club acknowledges it understands and accepts its safeguarding responsibilities and commits to adhering to these.
Do clubs have to sign up to a Safeguarding Declaration?
Yes, it’s a mandatory requirement to affiliate for the 2024/2025 season.
How will my club know which Safeguarding Declaration to accept?
The Safeguarding Declaration relevant to the type of football a club wants to affiliate for will be automatically made available via the club portal e.g., Grassroots Youth Football or Barclays Women’s Super League.
Are all the Safeguarding Declarations the same?
In principle yes, each Safeguarding Declaration requires a club to acknowledge it understands and accept its safeguarding responsibilities as outlined in the Declaration or relevant League Safeguarding Standard, License or Rules that are explicitly referred to.
Where can I find out more about the club portal?
Head to our Knowledge Base to find out everything you need to know about using the portal
Where can I get more information/support about implementing safeguards at my club?
You can view The FAs safeguarding information – here or contact your County FA
Is the Safeguarding Children Course still online?
Yes, you can access the Safeguarding Children Course here