How to prepare your child for a football trial
Academy trials in England and soccer tryouts in the US, including MLS NEXT. The week before, the day itself, and what happens after.
Keep the week before normal: usual training, sleep and food. Sort the right boots and kit early. On the day, arrive early and let your child play their normal game, talk to teammates and keep going after mistakes. Stay calm and quiet on the touchline. Academy trials are free and usually last weeks, not one day. If you were asked to pay, it is not an academy trial.
Updated 16 October 2026. Sources at the end of the page.
Is it a real academy trial?
In England, most academies recruit by scouting. A scout watches a child in grassroots or school football, then the club invites them to train with the age group. That trial is free and usually lasts weeks. Arsenal, for example, describes roughly eight weeks before a registration decision. A few clubs, such as Fulham, say they sometimes hold open trials for certain age groups.
Many clubs also run paid development centres, camps and “trial days”. These can be good coaching, but they are not the academy. The simple rule: if you are paying, it is not an academy trial.
In the US, the MLS club academies on our site are free for selected players and almost never hold open tryouts. Many other clubs, including clubs in MLS NEXT, do hold tryouts, and some charge fees.
Five things to do in the week before a trial
- 01
Check it is a real trial
Academy trials in England are free and almost always by invitation. If you were asked to pay, it is a paid event, not an academy trial. Check the club’s own page, or use our offer checker. Use the offer checker.
- 02
Keep the week normal
Normal training, normal school, normal bedtime. Extra sessions in the last few days add tiredness, not skill.
- 03
Sort the kit early
Boots that suit the surface (ask if it is grass, 3G artificial grass or indoor), shin pads, a water bottle, a warm layer and a spare pair of socks. No new boots on the day.
- 04
Talk about effort, not outcome
Tell your child what you want to see: trying things, talking to teammates, getting up after mistakes. Do not talk about getting picked.
- 05
Practise a few decisions
A short kickabout or a few minutes of decision practice keeps the mind sharp. Nothing hard the day before.
On the day
- Eat a normal meal a few hours before. Bring water. Nothing new on the day.
- Arrive early enough to find the pitch, get changed and warm up without rushing.
- Say hello to the coaches and learn a few teammates’ names. Talking on the pitch is part of the game.
- Play your normal game. Coaches want to see what you do every week, not one trick.
- After a mistake, get straight back into the game. Coaches notice the next action.
- If you are asked to play another position, say yes and try your best.
On the touchline
The Premier League’s code of conduct for academy parents asks you to support your child without pressure, praise good work and not criticise mistakes. Academy players wrote their own request to parents: “Be their biggest fan, not their biggest critic.”
- Stand back and stay quiet about decisions. No instructions.
- Do not talk to the coaches during the session.
- In the car, ask “did you enjoy it?” before anything else.
What coaches look at in a trial
Coaches look at the whole player, not one skill. The FA’s player development model, the 4 Corner Model, groups this into technical and tactical, physical, psychological and social. In practice that means first touch and passing, decisions, movement, attitude after mistakes, and how a child works with teammates.
Decisions are hard to fake on one day and slow to build. That is why the weeks and months before a trial matter more than the night before. Our guide on improving football IQ explains what helps. US readers: see soccer IQ for kids. For solo touches at home, see our best football rebounders for kids.
MLS NEXT tryouts
MLS NEXT is a youth league run by Major League Soccer. It has 151 clubs and runs from under-13 to under-19. It includes the MLS club academies and many non-MLS clubs.
There is no single MLS NEXT tryout date or process. Each club sets its own tryouts or evaluations, so check the club’s own website. MLS club academies usually recruit by scouting and invitation, not open tryouts. Some non-MLS clubs in the league charge fees, so ask about costs before your child plays.
Preparation is the same as for any trial: normal training, the right cleats and shin guards, water, arrive early, play your normal game. Read how MLS NEXT tryouts work, then see our MLS academy pages for each club’s real routes in.
After the trial
Trial and tryout questions
How do I prepare my child for a football academy trial?
Keep the week normal: usual training, sleep and school. Sort the right boots and kit early. Talk about effort, not getting picked. On the day, arrive early, stay calm on the touchline and let your child play their normal game.
How long is an academy trial?
In England an academy trial is usually a period of weeks training with the age group, not a single day. Arsenal, for example, describes roughly eight weeks before a registration decision. Each club sets its own process, so ask at the start how long it will last and how you will hear.
Should I pay for a football trial?
Academy trials are free. If an event charges a fee and says scouts will be watching, it is a paid event run for profit or a club’s development programme, not a route into the academy. Use our offer checker to see what your club actually runs.
What should my child wear and bring to a trial?
Boots that suit the surface, shin pads, a water bottle, a warm layer, a spare pair of socks and any medication they need. Ask beforehand whether the session is on grass, artificial grass or indoors. Avoid brand-new boots.
What should my child eat before a football trial?
A normal meal a few hours before, the kind they usually eat before a match, and water. The day of a trial is not the time to try new food or drinks.
What do coaches look for at a trial?
Coaches usually look at technique, decision-making, physical qualities and attitude together. The FA’s 4 Corner Model groups these as technical and tactical, physical, psychological and social. Effort after mistakes and willingness to learn matter at every age.
What happens after an academy trial?
The club decides whether to register your child, extend the trial or say no. Ask at the start when you will hear. If that date passes, one polite email to the person who invited you is fine.
What if my child does not get picked?
It is common and it is not a verdict on their future. Many players join academies later, move between clubs or develop in grassroots football. Keep them playing with friends. Our release guide has words that help in the first few days.
When are MLS NEXT tryouts?
There is no single date. MLS NEXT is a youth league run by Major League Soccer with 151 clubs from under-13 to under-19, including MLS academies and non-MLS clubs. Each club sets its own tryout or evaluation dates, so check the club’s own website.
How do I prepare for soccer tryouts?
The same way as an academy trial: keep training normal, sleep well, bring the right cleats, shin guards and water, arrive early and play your normal game. Communicate on the field and keep going after mistakes.
Can my child trial at another academy while registered at one?
In England, not freely. The Premier League code of conduct for academy parents says you should not approach another academy while your child is registered, except where the Youth Development Rules allow it. Ask your academy about the rules first.
- Premier League, Parent Hub: Rights, Rules and Responsibilities (codes of conduct) ↗
- The FA 4 Corner Model, England Football Learning ↗
- MLS Next, Wikipedia (league structure, clubs and age groups) ↗
- Arsenal academy trial format, on our Arsenal page (with the club’s own sources) ↗
Updated 16 October 2026. Academy Parent is independent and not linked to any club, league or federation. We do not run or sell trials. Football IQ is our own free game.