The FAI is to introduce a new registration process for all players to ensure uniformity and consistency across the game with the scheme to commence on 1st December 2022.
This follows extensive consultation with stakeholders at all levels of Irish football.
Now chaired by FAI Director of Football Marc Canham, the FAI’s Underage Working Group led the consultation process involving representatives of the SFAI, Grassroots governing bodies and affiliates, the League of Ireland academies, provincial administrators and independent experts.
An agreement was reached on three new ‘best practice’ changes to the registration and movement of players in Grassroots and League of Ireland football.
These have been ratified by the Board of the FAI as part of the implementation of the FAI Strategy 2022-2025 which includes a mission statement to nurture football pathways for all and enable every player to reach their full potential.
The changes will apply on a pilot basis for one Winter and one Summer season with an ongoing review process to take place throughout each season.
There will be a reduction in the number of registration windows across the various strands of the game with the objective of providing uniformity and consistency across the whole of the sport.
There will also be an enhanced solution for the registration of U14 players transitioning from Grassroots to the League of Ireland.
Agreement has been reached between the SFAI and League of Ireland clubs to allow LOI Academies register players at the end of the U13 Winter Season to create certainty over squads for Grassroots teams moving into the U14 age group.
The third change sees a reduction in the steps required to register and re-register players – simplifying a process that previously involved 5 steps across player/parent, clubs and leagues, down to a three-step process involving the player/parent, and clubs.
These changes will be implemented as part of the rollout of FAI Connect in the coming weeks.
“The new registration processes are the results of months of really constructive and co-operative discussion, consultation and commitment from every stakeholder across Grassroot adult and underage football, the SFAI, League of Ireland clubs and their underage academies,” said FAI Director of Football Marc Canham.
“From the outset, all involved with our Underage Working Group recognised that the most important person in all of this work is the player and everything we are announcing today is with the player’s wellbeing front and centre. The new process is player focussed and player friendly and that is, I believe, a sign of real progress for our game and for the future of Irish football at all levels.”
“I am delighted that all parts of the game have come together in an open and progressive manner to agree these changes,” added FAI Grassroots Director Ger McDermott.
“Simply put, players at all levels just want to play football to the best of their ability and continue to enjoy doing so. Simplifying our processes and aligning all strands of the game from a registration perspective is the first significant step in ensuring our structures and pathways will encourage and support participation growth and player retention. I look forward to further dialogue as we work to further enhance our structures to grow the game further.”
