Does Everton run academy trials?
Finch Farm · Halewood, Merseyside · Checked 6 September 2026
No open trials. Everton's academy has spent the last three years rebuilding after a two-year recruitment ban in 2018 and a period of tight budgets, and its stated strategy is to win Merseyside by scouting locally and looking at players the bigger-spending clubs overlook. The club has also put scouts in London, Ireland and Scotland. One thing parents should know: Everton ran a hybrid training model for a period, which under the rules meant it could not recruit nationally from age 14 like full-time Category 1 academies. A July 2026 restructure under a new technical director may change that.
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
Invitation after scouting, then a trial period with the age group at Finch Farm.
- 01Scouted at grassroots on Merseyside
Everton's head of recruitment has said the local network is the priority and that the club is built on local players. Scouts cover junior leagues across Merseyside and the wider North West.
Official page ↗ - 02Scouted outside the region
A London scouting team including a dedicated south London scout, plus embedded scouts in Ireland and Scotland. Relevant for older age groups where the travel rule allows.
- 03Everton in the Community coaching
The club's charity runs soccer schools and coaching across Merseyside. Coaches can flag players to the academy. It is community coaching, not a development centre with a published tier structure.
Official page ↗ - 04Coach referral with a fixture list
Grassroots coaches can put players forward to academy recruitment. A scout attends a normal fixture before any approach to the family.
Got a trial invite?
What scouts watch, what to bring, what to ask. £19 ($25)
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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.
Which ball size? See our size guide.
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- Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, Wirral
- Wider North West
- London, Ireland and Scotland for older age groups
- EPPP limit: 1 hour travel U9 to U11, 90 minutes U12 to U16
- Ask about the training model for your child's age group. Hybrid means fewer contact hours and no national recruitment at 14. Full-time means the opposite.
- Ask what the personalised development plan looks like. Everton has said it offers bespoke plans rather than blank cheques.
- Check the travel rule to Halewood. One hour at U9 to U11.
- With a new technical director and head of recruitment in 2026, ask who will actually coach your child's age group this season.
Everton girls academy trials 2026/27
Girls' academies are licensed by the FA, not the Premier League. How the girls' pathway works.
Everton is listed in the FA's Professional Game Academy directory. Use the academy contact in the FA directory to ask about girls' recruitment. A current open trial date was not confirmed in the sources checked. 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 ↗What to check before you agree
- i, Inside Everton's academy, Nov 2024 ↗
- Liverpool Echo, Everton search for head of academy recruitment, Apr 2025 ↗
- Royal Blue Mersey, Major Everton Academy overhaul announced, Jul 2026 ↗
- Premier League Youth Development Rules (travel limits, registration) ↗
- Girls' pathway: official programme or FA directory, checked 5 October 2026 ↗
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Updated 21 October 2026. Last verified 6 September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.