Arsenal academy trials: U9 entry and the development centre
Hale End (U9 to U16), London Colney (U18 to U21) · Walthamstow, north-east London · Checked 5 September 2026
No. Arsenal does not run open trials, and its pre-academy Development Centres (Under-6 to Under-8) are invite-only, so there is no Arsenal trial to apply for at Under-9 or any other age. Every player at Hale End was scouted first, usually at a grassroots or school match, then invited in for a trial period of around eight weeks. The first formal entry point is Under-9, and the club says most of its recent first-team graduates started there.
Got a trial or a scout’s invitation? How to prepare your child →Practise decisions before the trial: free Look First game →
How recruitment works
Roughly eight weeks training with the age group, then a registration decision.
- 01Be seen at a grassroots or school match
Arsenal runs a pre-academy scouting network across its catchment. Scouts attend junior league fixtures, tournaments and school games. Staff are told to report any player who catches their eye, even at recreational games.
- 02Coach or club referral
Grassroots coaches can put a player forward. A scout then watches the player at a normal fixture before any approach is made to the parents.
- 03Trial period, not a trial day
An invited player trains with the age group for roughly eight weeks alongside registered players before a decision on registration.
- 04Arsenal Soccer Schools camps
Commercial holiday camps for ages 9 to 17. Good coaching, but the club is clear that camps are not a route into the academy and carry no trial guarantee.
Official page ↗
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What to bring to an academy trial
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Boots for the surface (grass = FG, firm ground; 3G or astro = AG, artificial grass), shin pads, a ball, a named water bottle and plain kit (no rival club shirts). Check the club’s trial email first.
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By age group
Arsenal academy U9: age groups and how a child gets in
Arsenal’s first formal entry point is Under-9. Under-9 to Under-16 players train at Hale End. Under-18 and Under-21 players train at London Colney. The Under-9 to Under-11 years are the Foundation Phase, and registrations there run one year at a time.
A scouted Under-9 player is invited to train with the age group for roughly eight weeks before a registration decision. The scholarship decision is made by 31 December of the Under-16 year.
Premier League rules set the travel limit: one hour for Under-9 to Under-11 and 90 minutes for Under-12 to Under-16.
Source: Premier League Youth Development Rules (travel limits, registration) ↗
Arsenal development centre trials: what exists and what does not
People who search for an Arsenal development centre often land on Arsenal Football Development. On Arsenal.com, that page says its aim is to grow the club’s global fan base through fan experience and engagement, using the club’s coaching team. It says it works with partners on summer camps in the United States and the UK. It does not describe trials or a route into the academy.
The real Arsenal Development Centres are part of the academy's Pre-Academy for Under-6 to Under-8 boys, according to the academy's own site (arsenalacademy.co.uk). We found no public way to apply; children are identified by the club's Talent ID scouts. Some other clubs, Crystal Palace for one, run development centres you can book. If someone offers your child an Arsenal development centre place, ask who runs it and whether it is an academy programme or a paid camp.
How to join the Arsenal academy
Arsenal does not run open trials, and its U6-U8 Development Centres are invite-only. Scouts watch grassroots, school and junior league matches across north and east London, Hertfordshire and the Essex borders. A grassroots coach can also put a player forward. A scout then watches the player at a normal match before contacting the parents.
Arsenal Soccer Schools camps are paid holiday courses for ages 9 to 17. The club says camps are not a route into the academy.
Source: Arsenal.com, Academy ↗
Arsenal girls academy trials 2026/27
Arsenal is listed in the FA’s Professional Game Academy directory. For younger girls, the FA lists Arsenal Women as an Emerging Talent Centre provider, with awfctalentid@arsenal.co.uk as its contact. Ask about the age group and assessment opportunities.
A current open trial date was not confirmed in the sources we checked on 5 October 2026.
Source: FA, Emerging Talent Centres ↗
- North and east London
- Hertfordshire
- Essex borders
- EPPP limit: 1 hour travel U9 to U11, 90 minutes U12 to U16
- Ask which age group and which phase. Under-9 to Under-11 is the Foundation Phase and registrations run one year at a time.
- Check the travel rule before anything else. If you live more than an hour away at U9 to U11 the registration cannot happen.
- Ask for the trial length and what happens at the end. Eight weeks is normal at Arsenal.
- Keep grassroots football going until a registration is signed. Nothing is agreed until the form is.
Arsenal girls academy trials 2026/27
Girls' academies are licensed by the FA, not the Premier League. How the girls' pathway works.
Arsenal is listed in the FA's Professional Game Academy directory. Girls' information checked 5 October 2026.
Use the FA's Professional Game Academy directory to contact this club. Ask which age groups it currently recruits and whether it is accepting trial enquiries. A directory listing does not mean trials are open.
Official page ↗The FA lists Arsenal Women in its Emerging Talent Centre directory. Use awfctalentid@arsenal.co.uk to ask about age groups and assessment opportunities. A current open trial date was not confirmed in the sources checked.
Official page ↗What to check before you agree
What parents ask about Arsenal
Is there an Arsenal U9 trial?
There is no open Arsenal U9 trial. Under-9 is the first formal entry point, and a scout has to invite the child. A scouted Under-9 player trains with the age group for roughly eight weeks before a registration decision.
Does Arsenal have a development centre?
Yes, for younger boys. Arsenal's academy site says it runs a Pre-Academy from Under-6 to Under-8, with Development Centres for those age groups. We found no public application form: places come through the club's scouts. Arsenal Football Development, the page people often find, is a different thing: fan engagement and summer camps with partners, not an academy route.
How can girls ask about Arsenal academy trials for 2026/27?
Use Arsenal's academy contact in the FA Professional Game Academy directory. For younger players, the FA lists Arsenal Women as an Emerging Talent Centre provider, with awfctalentid@arsenal.co.uk as its contact. Ask about the relevant age group and assessment opportunities. A current open trial date was not confirmed in the sources checked on 5 October 2026.
- Arsenal.com, Academy ↗
- Arsenal.com, Arsenal Football Development (checked 13 October 2026) ↗
- Per Mertesacker on recruitment, Arsenal.com, Dec 2025 ↗
- Inside Hale End, ESPN, 2023 ↗
- Premier League Youth Development Rules (travel limits, registration) ↗
- Girls' pathway: official programme or FA directory, checked 5 October 2026 ↗
- Girls' pathway: official programme or FA directory, checked 5 October 2026 ↗
- Arsenal Academy, Our Academy: Pre-Academy U6s-U8s with Development Centres (checked 13 October 2026) ↗
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Updated 17 October 2026. Last verified 5 September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.