National Football Youth League

The league describes its focus as players who have not gained scholarships at 16, have been released by clubs, are late developers or have not yet been noticed. Its under-23 entry criteria describe a high-performance environment for players moving from academies, scholarship programmes and full-time football into first-team and senior settings.

Club-based pathways

NFYL entries are made by football clubs and academies. The league’s current under-23 criteria are aimed at full-time professional clubs and academies, with provision for exceptional top academies that meet its requirements. This makes the competition distinct from a geographically local youth league: it is organised around club programmes and player progression.

The league also has an All Star programme and publishes a directory of participating clubs. Families and players should contact an appropriate club or academy directly when exploring opportunities.

Official information

Visit the National Football Youth League website for club information and league updates. Current fixtures, results and tables are on FA Full-Time.

TeamStats is an independent football directory. It is not the league or The Football Association.

Reviewed August 2026.