Does Watford run academy trials?
Watford FC Training Ground, Bell Lane · London Colney, Hertfordshire · Checked 5 September 2026
No open trials for the academy, but the most transparent pathway of any club we have checked. Watford's community trust publishes the whole system: Tier 1 Skill Centres anyone can join for U7 to U14, Tier 2 Player Development Centres by invitation after a one or two week trial, and Tier 3, the Advanced PDC, by invitation with two sessions a week and fixtures against academy age groups. Players are scored twice a season on the FA Four Corner model. Score 150 or more and you are recommended for a trial up. Score 119 or less twice and you are released.
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
One to two week trial into Tier 2, then scored blocks. Academy trial only on the trust's recommendation or direct scouting.
- 01Tier 1 Skill Centres
Open invitation for U7 to U14 in St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Watford and Harrow. The entry point to the trust pathway, and where coaches identify players for a Tier 2 trial.
Official page ↗ - 02Tier 3 Advanced PDC
Invite only, for players who perform well in Tier 2. Two sessions a week, Monday and Friday. Fixtures against other advanced squads and Watford academy age groups. The trust's booklet says it sends recommendation lists to the academy's head of recruitment once or twice a season.
- 03Scouted at grassroots in Hertfordshire
The academy also scouts directly. The trust is explicit that a recommendation does not guarantee a trial, and the academy decides.
- 04Football and education at 16 to 18
The Watford FC CSE Trust and Westfield Academy run a programme for 16 to 18 year olds that combines a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport with football training and fixtures in the National Football Youth League. It is a college course, not the academy's scholarship.
Official page ↗
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.
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Watford development centre
Trial only, U7 to U16. Boys train on Mondays, one hour a week plus fixtures. Trials for 2026/27 are complete and places are allocated, so new players join a waiting list for the next trials. Two digital reports a season, retain or release twice a year.
Official page ↗By age group
- Watford, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead
- Harrow and Hillingdon
- Wider Hertfordshire
- EPPP limit: 1 hour travel U9 to U11, 90 minutes U12 to U16
- Ask which tier. The trust publishes what each one includes, so you can hold them to it.
- Ask for the block score. Reports are numeric and the thresholds are public: 150 recommends, 120 to 149 retains, 119 or below releases.
- The training ground is in London Colney, not Watford. Check the travel time from home.
- Trial requests for the Player Development Centres go to PDP@watfordfctrust.com. Trials for 2026/27 are complete, so expect a waiting list.
Watford girls academy trials 2026/27
Girls' academies are licensed by the FA, not the Premier League. How the girls' pathway works.
Watford has a girls' Emerging Talent Centre listed by the FA. An Emerging Talent Centre provides extra training alongside grassroots football. Girls' information checked 5 October 2026.
The Trust runs girls' Player Development Centres in St Albans and Kings Langley. Its Emerging Talent Centre is for Under-9 to Under-13, with exceptional Under-8 players also considered. Players must live within an hour of a centre. Sessions run on Fridays, 5.30pm to 7pm, for 30 weeks at the training ground in London Colney. Players stay registered with their grassroots club.
Official page ↗The Trust says girls' and boys' Player Development Centre trials are complete and places have been allocated. It says a new waiting-list form will be available shortly. Emerging Talent Centre assessments take place in summer. If spaces remain, players can be considered during the season through the centre's waiting list. Check the Trust page for the relevant form.
Official page ↗What to check before you agree
What parents ask about Watford
What category is the Watford academy?
Category 2 under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), the Premier League's academy rules. It registers players from Under-9, with a pre-academy for Under-7 and Under-8 players recommended by the trust.
When are Watford Player Development Centre trials?
The trust says trials for the 2026/27 girls' and boys' PDCs are complete and places have been allocated. You can join the waiting list for future trials by emailing PDP@watfordfctrust.com. Girls' Emerging Talent Centre talent ID events take place in the summer for the following season.
Is there a girls' pathway at Watford?
Yes. Girls can join Player Development Centres in St Albans and Kings Langley, then the Emerging Talent Centre at the training ground in London Colney. The ETC is for Under-9 to Under-13, runs on Friday evenings and is free to attend.
Is there a Watford route for 16 to 18 year olds?
The trust runs a football and education programme with Westfield Academy for 16 to 18 year olds. Students take a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport and play in the National Football Youth League. It is a college course, separate from the academy's scholarship.
Does a PDC place mean my child will get an academy trial?
No. The trust can recommend players to the academy, but the academy decides whether to follow up. It also scouts grassroots football directly.
- Watford FC CSE Trust, Player Development Programmes (2026/27 trials, girls' ETC, contact) ↗
- Watford FC CSE Trust, Player Development Centre booklet 2022/23 ↗
- Watford FC CSE Trust, PDC information booklet ↗
- National Football Youth League, Watford FC CST Westfield Football Academy ↗
- Watford FC CSE Trust, Player Development Centre page ↗
- 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 5 September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.