Does Tottenham Hotspur run academy trials?
Hotspur Way training centre · Enfield, north London · Checked 5 September 2026
No open trials. Spurs recruits through a network of around 35 scouts watching grassroots, school and district football across north London, Hertfordshire and Essex. What most parents miss is the ladder underneath the academy: Spurs Football Development runs Player Development Programmes anyone can book, and above them invite-only Academy Development Centres in places like Stevenage and Epping. The club's own example of a recent debutant went programme, then development centre, then academy registration at eight.
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
Observation over time, then invitation into a development centre or academy training. No single trial day.
- 01Scouted at grassroots, school or district football
Around 35 scouts cover local, national and international talent. Players who impress over time, not once, are invited for observation or academy training.
Official page ↗ - 02Spurs Football Development programmes
Paid coaching programmes across north London, Hertfordshire and Essex, from age six. Not the academy, but coaches flag players for further observation. The club says these programmes reach about 45,000 players a year.
Official page ↗ - 03Community talent festivals
The recruitment team runs occasional identification festivals, for example an East and Southeast Asian community festival in 2026 for ages 10 to 12 that sent three players into the Elite Development Centres. Rare, but real.
- 04College football programmes at 16 to 18
Two colleges run full-time study programmes with coaching from Tottenham Hotspur's Football Development team. New City College runs male and female programmes and holds open trial sessions on Tuesdays in August at Redbridge FC in Ilford. Barnet and Southgate College runs a men's programme for ages 16 to 19. These are college courses, not the academy's scholarship.
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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Spurs development centre
Invite only. The step between the public programmes and academy registration. Head of Academy Recruitment Jack Chapman has described the Elite Development Centres as the club's pathway tier for identified players.
By age group
- North London
- Hertfordshire
- Essex
- EPPP limit: 1 hour travel U9 to U11, 90 minutes U12 to U16
- Ask which tier: a Football Development programme, an Academy Development Centre, or the academy. Only the last one is a registration.
- Hotspur Way is in Enfield. Check the one-hour travel rule at U9 to U11 before agreeing to anything.
- Ask how long the observation period is and who decides. At Spurs it is the academy recruitment team, not the programme coach.
- Keep your grassroots club. Registration ends grassroots football from U12.
Spurs girls academy trials 2026/27
Girls' academies are licensed by the FA, not the Premier League. How the girls' pathway works.
Tottenham Hotspur 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 this club or its Foundation in its centre directory. Ask the listed contact about ages, assessments and available places. Centre attendance can run alongside grassroots football.
Official page ↗What to check before you agree
What parents ask about Tottenham Hotspur
Do you pay to join the Tottenham academy?
You pay for Spurs Football Development programmes, which are coaching courses anyone can book from age six. You cannot book or buy a place in the academy. Academy players are invited after the recruitment team has watched them over time.
What is a Tottenham Elite Development Centre?
An invite-only tier between the public Football Development programmes and the academy. Players are put forward after being spotted, often at a Football Development programme or at grassroots football. An Elite Development Centre trial is by invitation, not by booking.
Are there Tottenham trials for 16 to 18 year olds?
Yes, through college programmes coached by Tottenham Hotspur's Football Development team. New City College holds open trial sessions for its male and female programmes on Tuesdays in August at Redbridge FC. Barnet and Southgate College runs a men's programme for ages 16 to 19. Both are full-time education courses, not the academy's scholarship.
Where does the Tottenham academy train?
At Hotspur Way, the club's training centre in Enfield, north London. Check the travel rule from home: one hour for Under-9 to Under-11.
How good is the Tottenham academy?
It holds Category 1 status, the top level in the Premier League's academy system (EPPP). Around 35 scouts cover grassroots, school and district football across north London, Hertfordshire and Essex.
- Tottenham Hotspur, Spurs Football Development ↗
- New City College, Tottenham Hotspur Football Development trials ↗
- Barnet and Southgate College, Tottenham Hotspur men's football programme ↗
- To The Lane And Back, Academy recruitment festival and Elite Development Centres, Jun 2026 ↗
- 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 ↗
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Updated 17 October 2026. Last verified 5 September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.