Netley Royals are delighted to announce that we are now England Football Accredited, and have been awarded the Two Star status by The FA up until the 2023/24 season.

Leading by example. Raising the bar. Flying the flag for respect and diversity.

Football leagues and clubs accredited by The FA have positively changed the football landscape over the last 20 years, creating the ideal environments to nurture players, coaches and volunteers. The result is greater diversity and inclusivity throughout football. England Football Accreditation replaces The FA Charter Standard and is the next chapter in this amazing story as we unite even more communities by supporting Leagues and Clubs over the next 10 years.

What is England Football Accreditation?

England Football Accredited is the new framework for League and Club accreditation, and replaces The FA Charter Standard.

It is an opportunity for The FA and County FAs to recognise all Leagues and Clubs who raise the bar and set the tempo for football to thrive in England.

England Football Accredited clubs offer all players - whether male and / or female and / or disability players - of all ages the opportunity to fully access the best of football in well run, high quality, safe and sustainable Clubs, and fit for purpose League competitions.

England Football Accredited clubs infrastructure is sound, robust, efficient and effective. It centres around the Respect standards and behaviours needed to make football in England something we can all be proud to be part of.

Accreditation is also a clear signal to your community that you value the importance of being sustainable and built to last off the pitch.

That you want the very best for everybody: your players, coaches, spectators, volunteers, and officials. Everyone counts. Everyone is valued.

As England Football Accredited Leagues and Clubs we will unite and work together
to offer more opportunities for everybody – regardless of ability, background, gender or colour of skin. We’ll create more opportunities to play and enjoy football to the highest possible standard that we can achieve. We will work and push forwards together: united in our love of football.

Club Pathways Raise Stars

On-pitch and off-pitch criteria is the foundation to providing safe, respectful and inclusive pathways and environments for the game of football in England.

The number of England Football Accredited stars that a club achieves is recognised for and demonstrates that they have football teams within their set-up that support the three accredited player pathways.

To be a two star Accredited Club, you must:

• Offer a complete accredited player pathway for either male or female or disability football, all playing within FA sanctioned League competitions.
• In addition, offer a minimum of one team at any age group from an alternative pathway.

England Football Accreditation Criteria for Clubs

• Offer a minimum of one team at any age group for male or female or disability playing in an FA sanctioned competition.
• Have an in-date FA Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Checks (DBS) for all relevant officials.
• Have a Welfare Officer for Youth Clubs (male, female and disability).
• Safeguarding Committee Members course completed by Club committee members.
• Evidence or adopt a set of Club rules and be a constituted Club.
• Evidence or adopt the relevant Club safeguarding policies.
• Evidence or adopt an equality policy.
• Adopt The Football Leadership diversity code.
• Adopt the Nationwide Respect codes of conduct and implement The FA Respect activations relevant to your club.
• Have a bank account in the Club’s name recommended for all Clubs and mandatory for Clubs with three or more teams.
• Provide evidence of last season’s accounts if in existence for more than one season.
• Have a good disciplinary record within the Nationwide Respect disciplinary code (if in existence for more than one season).
• Youth teams to have at least one coach or manager with the Introduction to Coaching Football (I2CF) per team, with in-date Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAIF) and Safeguarding Children Course (SCC). A qualified coach or manager must be present at training and fixtures.
• Have a coach:player ratio of 1:16 or less.
• Complete the relevant Club development plan to support club development and sustainability.
• Confirm Club meetings that take place and make sure they are recorded. Copies of minutes are available upon request.
• Demonstrate that decisions made by the Club are informed by, and communicated to, it’s members.