We appreciate that the traditional affiliation window comes at a difficult time for our clubs and leagues this season.

However, many of you have been asking for the affiliation window to be opened as soon as possible in order to get some of your pre-season administration completed in good time for when football does eventually start up again. 

In preparation for the 2020-21 season, we can confirm that we are hoping to open our affiliation window on 5th May (subject to change). 

In the week commencing 5th May, club secretaries can expect to receive an email from a member of staff at London FA, who will be their main contact throughout the affiliation process. This email will contain the new Affiliation Guide as well as the relevant staff members contact details. 

In a bid to ensure we keep costs as low as possible for our clubs next season we are pleased to offer the following:

• For the fourth season running, we will not be raising our affiliation fee’s 
• We have extended our standard Affiliation window until 31st August, which means that late fee’s will not be imposed until 1st September onwards
• Personal Accident Insurance has been decreased by 16.6% due to the impact Covid 19 has had on clubs finishing the 2019/20 season

As you will be aware, the main change to the affiliation process for the 2020/21 season are the safeguarding requirements which have now come into effect in open-aged football:

• It is recommended that all clubs who have at least 1 player below the age of 18, has a named club welfare officer.
• It is mandatory for all managers/coaches/assistants/physios in open aged football to have an in-date FA DBS if a team has at least 1 player below the age of 18 signed on for them.

These are big changes for our adult clubs, but ones I am sure you will agree have had to be made in order for us to ensure that our young players can be supported and protected in all football environments, whether they play in adult or youth football 

For updates on the current situation with FA DBS checks and Welfare Officer Courses during Covid-19 please click here.

For any safeguarding questions you may have which are not answered in our online Covid-19 update, please email Safeguarding@LondonFA.com

This year you can apply for Charter Standard as part of your club affiliation, with the help of your dedicated member of staff, for information and to apply online click here, or contact CharterStandard@LondonFA.com. Level 1 funding is available for the 2020/21 season, to enable all youth teams to have access to a Level 1 qualified coach. For information and to apply for a bursary, please contact: Development@LondonFA.com 

Affiliation Checklist

setting up a new club? click here to complete our new club form

In the meantime, here are some things you can do now to make sure you are ready for the new season, and to make sure your club is as ready as possible for when the affiliation window opens for the 2020/21 season:

• Have you paid all outstanding disciplinary invoices from the 2019/20 season?
  
  click here to download our guide

• Have you updated the WGS with all your suspended players matches from the 2019/20 season?
  
  Click here to download our guide
  
  
• Have you appointed a club welfare officer for the 2020/21 season?
  
  
• If so, please make sure they have the following qualifications in place:

• An in-date FA DBS - latest information can be found here
• Completion of the Online Safeguarding for Committee Members course (FREE)
• Attendance at a Safeguarding Children Workshop (within the last 3 years)
• Attendance at a Welfare Officer Workshop (recommended to have been completed/updated within the last 3 years

• Have you appointed a Secretary/Treasurer/Chair for the new season?
  
  
• If you are a youth club, have those holding these roles also completed the Online Safeguarding for Committee Members course (FREE)?
  
  
• Do all of your managers and coaches have an in-date FA DBS check, including managers/coaches for adult clubs who have U18s registered to play for them? Latest information can be found here