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Update on Non-Elite Football Following Latest COVID-19 Restrictions - 4 January 2021

All non-elite grassroots football activity, both training and matches, is to be suspended following latest Government announcement.

The FA has today (4 January 2021) issued the below guidance with regard to non-elite football activity, in light of the Government's announcement on new COVID-19 restrictions made on the same day.

We note the UK Government’s announcement this evening with regards to the new national COVID-19 restrictions and lockdown.

As a result, the impact on ‘non elite’ football in England will include the suspension of fixtures and training across the following, with immediate effect:

  • Steps three to six of the National League System (NLS)

  • Tiers three to seven of the Women’s Football Pyramid

  • Regional NLS feeder leagues

  • Barclays FA WSL Academy League (unless under elite status)

  • FA Girls Regional Talent Clubs (unless under elite status)

  • All indoor and outdoor youth and adult grassroots football, including under-18s (except organised outdoor football for disabled people which is allowed to continue)

  • Vitality Women’s FA Cup (which is currently classified as ‘non-elite’ at this stage in the competition)

It is extremely important that clubs, players, coaches, match officials, league officials, volunteers, parents, carers and facility providers adhere to the UK Government’s new national COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and we implore everyone to follow these.

Dialogue will continue with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, leagues, competitions and County FAs and we will provide further updates for the 2020/21 Vitality Women’s FA Cup, Buildbase FA Vase and ‘non-elite’ football when relevant.

We would like to thank the football community once again for its hard work, resilience and understanding during such an incredibly challenging period for both the game and wider society.

County Cup Competitions

As a result of the Government announcement made on Monday 4 January 2021, all London Cup matches are now postponed until further notice.

I would like to give a massive thank you to all of the clubs for your help and communications.

Please can everyone stay safe and do what you can to help us beat the spread of the virus, so we can get football back on as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me on Jamaal.Horne@LondonFA.com

- Jamaal Horne, Cups & Competitions Officer, London FA

PERMITTED ACTIVITY

Our stance on non-elite football training and matches has been clarified in our statement here

We would refer anyone to the government guidance for outdoor exercise and meeting other people here

To clarify, leaving an Under 18 alone with one adult from another household to play football is a breach of safeguarding policy and, as you can’t have another adult in attendance due to Covid-19 regulations, then it is not permissible.