Does Fulham run academy trials?
Motspur Park training ground · New Malden, south-west London · Checked 5 September 2026
Sometimes, and Fulham is the only Category 1 club in London that says so. The academy's own recruitment page states it holds open trials, age specific and sporadic, announced online and in the area being recruited. Most players still come in the usual way: watched at their grassroots club or school, then invited for a training period. Fulham also accepts a playing CV by email, with a fixture list, and runs invitational Foundation development centres for U7 to U16 at Motspur Park.
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
A training period with the age group, with mid-trial and end-of-trial feedback meetings for U9 to U12 trialists.
- 01Scouted, then a training period
Scouts watch players from Under-7 upwards at local clubs and schools, in plain clothes. A recommendation goes to the recruitment department, which decides whether to invite the player for a trial period with the age group. The club always contacts your coach before your family.
Official page ↗ - 02Sporadic open trials
Age specific, announced online and within the area being recruited. Rare, and there is no schedule. Watch the academy trials page and the Soccer Schools course list.
Official page ↗ - 03Send a playing CV
The academy accepts emails with a fixture list including kick-off times and venues, date of birth, position, previous clubs, representative honours and any references. It gets hundreds a week and does not reply, but a scout may turn up.
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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Fulham development centre
Invitational weekday-evening sessions for boys and girls aged 7 to 16, with a goalkeeper school. Motspur Park runs Under-7 to Under-16 on Wednesdays, 7.30pm to 9pm. Three Rivers Academy in Hersham runs Under-7 to Under-14 on Fridays. Fill in the Player Interest Form to hear about trial dates. Players get feedback at the end of each term.
Official page ↗- South-west London
- Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Wandsworth
- Surrey
- EPPP limit: 1 hour travel U9 to U11, 90 minutes U12 to U16
- Ask whether it is a training period with the academy age group or a Foundation development centre invitation. Different departments, different outcomes.
- Ask when the mid-trial feedback meeting is. Fulham runs one for U9 to U12 trialists.
- Check the travel rule to New Malden. One hour at U9 to U11.
- If you send a CV, include the fixture list. Without it there is nothing for a scout to attend.
Fulham girls academy trials 2026/27
Girls' academies are licensed by the FA, not the Premier League. How the girls' pathway works.
Fulham FC Women take expressions of interest for their Under-18 squad each season. For 2026/27 the window is for players born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2011, with two sessions a week, one at Motspur Park. For younger girls, the Foundation runs Girls Development Centres with bookable trials. On 25 September 2026 it listed £5 trials for Under-14 (28 September, Motspur Park) and Under-13 and Under-15/16 (1 October, Blagdons Sports Ground).
Club page ↗What to check before you agree
What parents ask about Fulham
How do I join a Fulham Player Development Centre?
Fill in the Player Interest Form on the Fulham Foundation site and you will be contacted with trial dates. Sessions are by invitation. Motspur Park runs Under-7 to Under-16 on Wednesday evenings, and Three Rivers Academy in Hersham runs Under-7 to Under-14 on Friday evenings. A development centre place is not an academy place.
Are there Fulham girls' trials?
Yes, two kinds. The Foundation's Girls Development Centres run bookable trials, listed at £5 for Under-13 to Under-16 in autumn 2026. Fulham FC Women also take expressions of interest for their Under-18 squad, for 2026/27 from players born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2011.
Where does the Fulham academy train?
At the club's training ground at Motspur Park in New Malden, south-west London, KT3 6PT. The Motspur Park development centre also trains there.
How do I send Fulham a playing CV?
Email the academy with your child's date of birth, position, previous clubs, any representative honours and references, plus a fixture list with kick-off times and venues. The academy gets hundreds of emails a week and does not reply. The fixture list is what lets a scout come and watch.
How good is the Fulham academy?
It holds Category 1 status, the top level in the Premier League's academy system (EPPP). It is also one of the few Category 1 academies that says it holds open trials at times, though these are rare and age specific.
- Fulham FC, Trials at Fulham ↗
- Fulham FC Foundation, Player Development Centres ↗
- Fulham FC Women, U18s squad trials for 2026/27, Jan 2026 ↗
- Fulham FC Foundation, Girls Development Centre trial listings ↗
- Fulham academy recruitment FAQ as reproduced by FC Scout ↗
- Premier League Youth Development Rules (travel limits, registration) ↗
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Updated 17 October 2026. Last verified 5 September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.