Dear Colleagues

Please see below:

The FA has today issued guidance to all grassroots football and informal football activity outside the professional game.

Consistent with Government advice, published on Wednesday 13 May, the following outdoor football activity is currently permitted:

• playing football individually e.g. practice of individual skills or fitness activities;
• playing football with your family or other people living in your household;
• an individual can play football with one other person who is not from their household.
• coaching an adult player one to one.

All social distancing guidelines must be followed.

Additionally, maintaining a grass or artificial football pitch is permitted, as long as social distancing and appropriate hygiene practices are adopted.

If an individual is symptomatic, living in a household with a possible COVID-19 infection or if you are classified as extremely vulnerable on health grounds, the guidance is that you should remain at home.

The following football activity is not permitted at this time, consistent with Government guidelines:

• coaching a child (U18) from a different household one to one. In order to comply with The FA’s safeguarding policy, a child must have a parent/carer with them, which doesn’t comply with Government social distancing requirements;
• two or more people from one household playing with one person or more from outside their household.

The FA will continue to work with the Government and Sport England in order to provide guidance to grassroots football as the Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy moves to the next phase

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Please see the latest Government guidance below in relation to the playing of grassroots football:

Consistent with Government advice https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation, published on Monday 1 June, the following outdoor football activity is currently permitted:

*) playing football individually e.g. practice of individual skills or fitness activities;

*) playing football with your family or other people living in your household;

*) football training or fitness activities in groups of no more than six, keeping two metres apart at all times. Sharing of equipment should be kept to a minimum and strong hand hygiene practices should be in place before and after. Physical contact with anyone outside of your household is not permitted, therefore, playing of any games (small-sided or full) is also not permitted at this time. Avoid meeting in groups of six in busy or overcrowded areas, if it is so busy that it is not possible to maintain social distancing at all times.

*) Football coaches can now undertake small group sessions up to six people (including the coach) but are reminded to follow The FA safeguarding policy when coaching/working with children. This must include risk assessing the activities, gaining consent from parents/carers and ensuring you are in sight of another adult e.g. parent/carer or another coach and that the ratio of coach to different age-groups of children is appropriate – see download 5.5 Section 11 – the complete downloads directory – Safeguarding. For clarity, the additional parent/carer or coach is not included as part of the group of six but must remain in sight of the activity.

*) It is permissible for coaches to organise a training session that has two or more groups of six (including the coach) involved as long as the groups of six are kept separate, everyone is socially distancing, and strict hygiene measures are in place with any equipment.

*) Football coaches working with people with impairments must ensure they can adequately cater for any additional needs whilst still avoiding physical contact and maintaining social distancing. Individuals should follow Government guidance relevant to their own impairment or health condition.

Please be reminded, if an individual is symptomatic, living in a household with a possible COVID-19 infection or if you are classified as extremely vulnerable on health grounds, the guidance is that you should remain at home.

The FA continues to work closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and Sport England in order to provide good practice guidance for those responsible for delivering different aspects of grassroots football and we will share further information as soon as possible.

Kind regards

Roy Waterfield
Chief Executive
Shropshire Football Association

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