PREMIER LEAGUE

GAMES PROGRAMME
Age group Team size Pitch size
(yards)
Goal size (feet)
Ball size
Under 12
11v11
(or 9v9 if both
Clubs so agree)
90x60(11v11)
70x40 to 80x50
(9v9)
21x7 (11v11)
16x7 (9v9)
4
Under 13 11v11 90x60 21x7 4
Under 14 11v11 90x60 to
100x60
21x7 to 24x8 5
Under 15 11v11 110x70 24x8 5
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES
Guidance
In order to deliver the Youth Development Phase Games Programme to all Clubs, the target travel time of 2 hours may be
exceeded from time to time, particularly in order to accommodate those Clubs whose home geographical “region” is small.
146. The League shall organise a games programme for teams consisting of Academy Players in
the Under 16 age group of Clubs operating Category 1 Academies, and another for teams of
Academy Players in these age groups of Clubs operating Category 2 Academies.
147. Save for any matches played abroad pursuant to Rule 150, the games programme for
Category 1 Clubs referred to in Rule 146 shall:
147.1 be constituted either on a national basis or, if a majority of those Clubs (and Football
League clubs) which operate Category 1 Academies so determine by no later than 31
March in the preceding Season, on a regional basis (as that term is defined in Rule 148; and
147.2 be competitive but whose results shall not be given any particular competitive
significance between Academies (for example, no league table or the like shall be
produced).
148. The games programme for Category 2 Clubs referred to in Rule 146 shall be organised on a
regional basis, that is to say so that as far as reasonably possible no team has to travel more
than two hours to an away match (save that longer travel times may be necessary in order
that each Club can participate meaningfully in the games programme).
149. Matches in the games programmes for Category 1 and Category 2 Clubs referred to in Rule
146 shall, unless the Board otherwise permits, be played on Saturdays and arranged so that
as far as possible a Club’s fixtures in it mirror those of its teams in the Professional
Development Phase Games Programme.
150. As part of the Youth Development Phase Games Programme, the League shall organise
matches (which may be organised as Tournaments) against teams from clubs in membership
of a national association other than the Football Association or the Football Association of
Wales. Such matches shall be organised regularly for Clubs operating Category 1 Academies
and from time to time for Clubs operating Category 2 Academies.
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