PREMIER LEAGUE

GAMES PROGRAMME
Guidance
The League will organise a regional indoor programme during the second half of December, and the entirety of January
and February. In particular, a programme of Futsal will be delivered for Category 1 and Category 2 Academies. Clubs will
be free to apply to organise Authorised Games outside pursuant to Rule 126.2.
In order to deliver the Foundation Phase Games Programme to all Clubs it is likely that the target travel time of 1 hour
may be exceeded from time to time, in particular in order to accommodate those Clubs whose home “locality” is small.
Both Leagues will co-operate to create cross-Category festivals from time to time which shall include all Categories of
Academy and be regionally based.
126. Each Club which operates a Category 1, Category 2 or Category 3 Academy:
126.1. must participate fully in the Foundation Phase Games Programme; and
126.2. may organise and participate in additional Authorised Games of the types listed in
paragraphs c), d), f), g) and h) of that definition only (which shall be notified to the
League (if the Club operates a Category 1 or Category 2 Academy) or the Football
League (if it operates a Category 3 Academy) no later than 72 hours before they are
scheduled to take place).
Guidance
The Games Programme Schedule will incorporate free weeks (in addition to those referred to in Rule 162) during which
no fixtures will be arranged by the Leagues. This will allow Clubs to organise additional fixtures pursuant to Rule 126.2. In
addition, Clubs will be able to rearrange fixtures in the Foundation Phase Games Programme in order to attend tournaments
and Festivals provided suitable notice is given, the integrity of the Games Programme is maintained, and a suitable date
for the rearrangement of the fixture is agreed.
127. Each Club shall ensure that each of its Academy Players in the Foundation Phase shall, subject
to fitness, participate in at least half the playing time in any one Season of matches in the
Foundation Phase Games Programme and any other matches organised by the Club pursuant
to Rule 126.2 such playing time to be reasonably spread out over the Season.
Guidance
An Academy Player in the Foundation Phase may still play for his school team or school representative county side.
When assessing whether Rule 127 has been complied with, each Academy Player’s playing time over the course of the
Season will be assessed and an average calculated (i.e. the Academy Player need not play in half the time of every match).
In addition, Rule 127 requires that the playing time is spread relatively evenly over the course of the fixture programme.
This is to ensure Clubs do not try to backload playing time at the end of the Season simply to ensure the average is met.
Youth Development Phase Games Programme
128. The League will organise a games programme for teams in each of the Under 12 to Under 14
age groups of Clubs operating Category 1 and 2 Academies (and for the avoidance of doubt
teams from both Categories shall participate together in this games programme).
129. The Football League will organise a games programme for teams in each of the Under 12
to Under 14 age groups of Clubs operating Category 3 Academies.
130. The games programmes referred to in Rules 128 and 129 shall consist of matches which shall:
130.1. be competitive but whose results shall not be given any particular competitive significance
between Academies (for example, no league table or the like shall be produced);
130.2. (in the case of the games programme referred to in Rule 128) be organised on a regional
basis so that as far as reasonably possible no team has to travel more than two hours to
an away match (save that longer travel times may be necessary in order that each Club
can participate meaningfully in the games programme);
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YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES