Does West Ham United run academy trials?
Academy of Football, Chadwell Heath · Chadwell Heath, east London and Essex border · Checked 5 September 2026
No open trials for the academy itself. But West Ham's charity arm runs the most bookable pathway in London: the Foundation Player Pathway, three tiers across east London and Essex, with trial sessions you can book online for a few pounds. The top tier trains twice a week and plays Junior Premier League on Saturdays. A dedicated Academy Integration Officer watches those sessions for the academy. It is still a separate programme, and the Foundation says so.
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
Foundation trial session, then a tier placement. Academy entry is by observation over the season, not a trial day.
- 01Foundation Player Pathway trial
Bookable trial sessions, typically in spring for the following season and at other points in the year, at venues including Basildon, Beckton, Chelmsford, Stanford-le-Hope and Wickford. Successful players are placed in a tier.
Official page ↗ - 02Academy Integration
The Foundation's Academy Integration Officer monitors players across sessions, training days and matches, seven days a week, and can move players into a higher training environment or flag them to the academy.
Official page ↗ - 03Scouted at grassroots, county or academy fixtures
Academy scouts attend local leagues, grassroots matches and county FA events. An approach normally comes through your child's grassroots coach first.
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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West Ham United development centre
The first two train once a week with holiday exhibition matches. Performance squads train twice a week and compete in the Junior Premier League. Season runs August to April.
- East London
- Essex
- Havering, Thurrock, Basildon, Chelmsford
- EPPP limit: 1 hour travel U9 to U11, 90 minutes U12 to U16
- Ask whether the invitation is Foundation Player Pathway or the Academy of Football. They are run by different organisations.
- If it is the academy, ask which age group and confirm the travel rule from your home to Chadwell Heath.
- In the Foundation pathway, ask which tier and how promotion between tiers is decided.
- Keep grassroots going. The Foundation programme is designed to sit alongside it.
West Ham United girls academy trials 2026/27
Girls' academies are licensed by the FA, not the Premier League. How the girls' pathway works.
West Ham United 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 Foundation offers a four-tier pathway for girls aged 5 to 18 in London and Essex. Its women's youth teams include Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 groups, with a route towards the Under-21 academy. Parents and players register through the Foundation booking page. Ask which programme the booking covers and what it costs.
Official page ↗What to check before you agree
- West Ham United, Foundation Player Pathway (male) ↗
- West Ham United, Academy Integration ↗
- Football Parent, West Ham Player Pathway Guide, 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.