May 17, (THEWILL)- The England Football Association (FA) has unveiled a strategy to eliminate heading in matches for players under 12 over the next three years.
This decision follows a successful two-year trial conducted by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), football’s regulatory body. Beginning with the 2024/2025 season, the rule will be introduced at the Under-7 to Under-9 levels. The following season, it will be implemented for Under-10 players, and by 2026/2027, it will apply to Under-11 players. The rule will cover all affiliated grassroots youth football, including leagues, clubs, and school matches.
The FA stated that the phased introduction aims to help young players transition as they adapt to the new regulation prohibiting deliberate headers in matches. Under this rule, any intentional header will result in an indirect free-kick. If the ball is intentionally headed out of play, the opposing team will be awarded a ‘pass-in’ or ‘dribble-in’ instead of a throw-in.
Key aspects of the new rule include an indirect free-kick for deliberate headers, a pass-in or dribble-in replacing throw-ins when the ball crosses the touchline, and no disciplinary actions for deliberate headers unless repeated, which could then lead to caution.
The FA was the pioneer in adopting the IFAB heading trial in 2022. Since its inception, over 16,000 teams and 107,000 players have participated. The rule’s introduction follows extensive consultations with grassroots football representatives and has received approval from the FA Board and FA shareholders.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
