New FA Heading Guidance

Monday 2nd August 2021

The Football Association have issued new guidance for heading for the start of the 2021-22 season, which will apply to all levels of the game.

The overall aim of the guidance is to reduce exposure to heading and protect player welfare, while - at least in adults football and older youth age groups - to still allow for the development of proper heading technique.

The changes that follow as a result of the guidance primarily impacts upon the amount of heading that is allowed within training sessions.

The new guidance will be applied by all Royal Wootton Bassett Town teams. Coaches and parents are therefore advised to familiarise themselves with the new guidance.

Heading guidance for adult amateur football

Guidance for adult amateur football will apply to Royal Wootton Bassett Town's senior men's and women's sides.

This includes the recommendation that heading practice is limited to ten headers per training session and only one session a week where heading practice is included.

Players should be responsible for monitoring their own heading activity. However, coaches are strongly advised to ensure sessions are planned in a way that does not exceed these limits.

A breakdown of heading guidance for adult amateur football is available here.

Heading guidance for youth football

Guidance for youth football will apply to all of Royal Wootton Bassett Town's youth section sides. Different rules apply to different age groups and it is the responsibility of coaches to ensure that guidance is adhered to.

For age groups from Under 7s through to Under 11s, heading should not be introduced in training sessions.

For the Under 12 age group, heading must remain a low priority and it is expected that heading is not introduced at this stage. However, if coaches feel it is necessary to introduce the technique of heading, it is strongly advised that it is included in a maximum of one session per month. This should be carried out with light balls, with limited repitition of a maximum of five headers per player using self-serve or short distance methods. All headers must be unopposed.

For the Under 13 age group, heading must remain a low priority and it is expected that heading is not introduced at this stage. However, if coaches feel it is necessary to introduce the technique of heading, it is strongly advised that it is included in a maximum of one session per week. This should be carried out with light balls, with limited repitition of a maximum of five headers per player using self-serve or short distance methods. All headers must be unopposed.

For the age groups from Under 14s to Under 16s, heading should remain a low priority. At these age groups, coaches should not focus on heading practice in more than one session per week and players should be limited to ten headers per session. Headers over a variety of distances (relative to the game at these ages) can be used.

For the Under 18 age group, coaches should use a variety of heading situations - including the introduction of contested headers. Match balls can be used in training sessions that include heading, though it is still advised that light balls be used when practicing such technique. For Under 18 players, it remains the case that they should be limited to ten headers per session, with heading practice included in no more than one session per week.

A breakdown of heading guidance for youth football is available here.

Last modified on Monday 2nd August 2021 at 09:58.