Last Updated: 17 August 2026 I Reading Time: 6 minutes I By Steven Astley, Partner
Summary
The Football Association (FA) has introduced a phased approach to removing deliberate heading from grassroots youth football for children in the U7-U11 age groups. The changes followed an International Football Association Board (IFAB) trial designed to reduce potential risks associated with heading and other head impacts in young players.
The phased changes began with U7-U9 football in the 2024-25 season, extended to U10 in 2025-26, and are being extended to U11 from the 2026-27 season. The changes also introduce alternatives to throw-ins in the relevant age groups, including pass-ins and dribble-ins.
For young players and their families, the changes are part of a wider conversation about brain injuries in children’s sport, including concussion, repeated head impacts and the importance of appropriate injury management.
Quick answer
Why has heading been phased out in children’s football? The FA has introduced rules to remove deliberate heading from affiliated grassroots football for U7-U11 players as a precautionary measure aimed at reducing potential risks associated with head impacts. The changes are being introduced gradually from U7-U9 in 2024-25, U10 in 2025-26 and U11 in 2026-27, while research into head injuries in sport continues.
In this article
- Why has heading been restricted in children’s football?
- What are the health concerns surrounding head injuries?
- What are the new FA heading rules?
- How will the changes affect grassroots football?
- What should parents know about concussion?
- What are the potential long-term benefits?
- How can GLP Solicitors help after a brain injury?
Key takeaways
- Deliberate heading has been phased out in affiliated grassroots U7-U11 football.
- The changes began with U7-U9 in the 2024-25 season, followed by U10 in 2025-26 and U11 in 2026-27.
- The rules are intended to reduce potential risks associated with head impacts while further research continues.
- Accidental contact with the head is not treated as a deliberate header under the IFAB trial protocol.
- A deliberate header can result in an indirect free kick to the opposing team.
- The changes also introduce pass-ins and dribble-ins instead of throw-ins in the relevant age groups.
- Concussion can occur without a player being knocked unconscious, so recognising symptoms and managing recovery properly is important.
- If a child suffers a significant brain injury, professional medical and legal advice may be appropriate.
Why has heading been phased out in children’s football?
In May 2024, the FA announced a new rule to phase out deliberate heading in grassroots youth football between U7 and U11 over three seasons. The change followed an IFAB trial that had been operating in England since 2022.
The phased approach was designed to allow young players, coaches and referees to adapt gradually.
The timetable was:
- 2024-25: U7-U9
- 2025-26: U10
- 2026-27: U11
The FA has described the approach as part of its wider Youth Football Review and has continued to monitor implementation and feedback from the grassroots game.
The changes should not be confused with a blanket ban on heading across all football. The FA’s rules apply to the specified grassroots age groups, while heading continues to form part of the game at older levels subject to the applicable guidance and rules.
Why is heading in children’s football a health concern?
The decision reflects concerns about the potential effects of head impacts in young players, particularly where impacts are repeated.
At GLP Solicitors, I have seen head-related trauma in young footballers arise from two main sources.
The first is the more obvious form of trauma: direct impacts, such as an elbow to the head, a collision between players or a player hitting an advertising hoarding or the ground.
The second can be more subtle: repeated head impacts, including those associated with heading.
Both types of injury can have serious consequences if they are not properly recognised and managed.
The FA has said its approach is intended to help mitigate potential risks associated with heading, including injuries involving head-to-head, elbow-to-head and head-to-ground contact.
It is important, however, not to overstate what current research proves. The relationship between repeated head impacts, concussion and long-term neurological conditions remains an area of ongoing research. The CDC, for example, states that research suggests CTE is associated with long-term exposure to repeated head impacts, while also emphasising that more research is needed to understand the risk factors and why some people develop the condition and others do not.
What types of brain injury can affect young footballers?
Brain injuries can range from relatively mild injuries such as concussion to severe traumatic brain injuries.
Concussion
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can follow a blow or jolt to the head or body.
A child does not necessarily need to lose consciousness to have suffered a concussion. Symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Memory difficulties
- Problems concentrating
- Tiredness
- Changes in mood or behaviour
- Problems with balance or vision
The NHS advises seeking medical help where symptoms following a head injury cause concern. Certain symptoms, including repeated vomiting, problems with balance, speech or understanding, seizures, significant drowsiness or worsening symptoms, require urgent assessment.
Repeated head impacts
Not every impact to the head causes concussion or immediately produces symptoms.
However, repeated head impacts are an area of increasing scientific and medical interest. The CDC notes that repeated head impacts can occur without concussion symptoms and that researchers are continuing to investigate their potential long-term effects.
This is one reason why preventative measures and education are important in children’s sport.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
CTE is a brain disease associated with long-term exposure to repeated head impacts.
It is important not to suggest that heading a football or suffering an individual concussion automatically causes CTE. Current evidence does not establish that occasional head impacts or one or more concussions inevitably lead to CTE.
Instead, the concern is about understanding and, where possible, reducing unnecessary exposure to repeated head impacts while research continues.
Why are children particularly important when considering head injuries?
Children and young people are still developing physically and neurologically.
A brain injury can therefore have consequences beyond the immediate physical symptoms. Depending on the severity and circumstances of an injury, a child may experience difficulties affecting concentration, memory, education, mood, behaviour or everyday activities.
There can also be an emotional impact.
A significant injury may leave a young player anxious about returning to football. Parents may understandably become worried about allowing their child to continue playing a sport they previously enjoyed.
This does not mean that children should be discouraged from participating in sport. Rather, it highlights the importance of appropriate safety measures, education, recognition of injuries and proper recovery.
What are the new FA heading rules?
Under the FA’s phased approach, deliberate heading is an offence in the relevant grassroots age groups.
Where a player deliberately heads the ball, the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick from the location of the offence.
If the deliberate header takes place inside the defending team’s penalty area, the restart is taken from the nearest point on the penalty-area line, in accordance with the relevant rules.
Importantly, accidental contact with the head is not treated as deliberate heading under the IFAB trial protocol.
What are the changes to grassroots football?
The changes are not limited to heading.
The FA has also introduced pass-ins and dribble-ins instead of throw-ins for the relevant age groups. The intention is to create more opportunities for players to keep the ball on the ground and develop their technical skills.
Training routines
Coaches can place greater emphasis on:
- Ball control
- Passing
- Dribbling
- Movement
- Positioning
- Tactical awareness
- Ground-based defensive skills
This can encourage young players to develop technical abilities without relying on aerial play.
The FA has also previously issued heading guidance for youth training, including no heading in training during the foundation phase and a graduated approach for older children.
Gameplay
The changes may mean that teams rely less on:
- Long aerial balls
- Aerial challenges
- Heading clearances
- High crosses
Instead, players can develop approaches based on possession, passing, movement and anticipation.
Defensive techniques
Defenders traditionally use their heads to clear crosses and long balls.
Without deliberate heading at these age groups, players will need to develop other techniques, including positioning, interception, communication and keeping the ball on the ground.
Could the changes benefit young players?
The FA’s approach is intended to help create a safer environment while supporting the development of young footballers.
Potential benefits include:
1. Reducing exposure to deliberate heading
Removing deliberate heading can reduce one source of repeated head impacts and certain types of collision.
2. Developing technical skills
More emphasis on passing, dribbling and ball control may encourage young players to develop their technical abilities.
3. Making safety a normal part of youth football
The changes reinforce the importance of recognising that player welfare should be part of coaching and playing football.
4. Encouraging continued research
The FA and IFAB continue to recognise that research into head impacts and football is developing. The IFAB describes its deliberate-heading initiative as a trial intended to investigate the effects of restricting deliberate heading in youth football.
What should parents know about concussion in children’s football?
Parents should be aware of the signs of concussion and should not assume that a child is fine simply because they were not knocked unconscious.
After a head injury, symptoms can include headache, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, memory problems and changes in behaviour or mood.
If you suspect your child has suffered a concussion or another head injury, seek appropriate medical advice.
A child should not simply be sent back onto the pitch because they say they feel better. Returning to sport should be managed appropriately and in line with medical and sporting guidance.
The NHS advises that children should avoid contact sports following a head injury and seek advice about when it is safe to return.
Why prevention and education matter
Rules can reduce certain risks, but they cannot prevent every football-related injury.
That is why prevention, education and proper injury management remain important.
Coaches, clubs, referees and parents all have a role to play in recognising potential head injuries and making sure that children receive appropriate support.
The FA’s heading rules are one example of how sporting organisations can respond to emerging evidence and take a precautionary approach while research continues.
How GLP Solicitors can help
A serious brain injury can have a profound impact on a young person and their family.
Where an injury has been caused by another person’s negligence or a failure to take reasonable care, there may be circumstances in which a personal injury claim can be considered.
At GLP Solicitors, our personal injury team can help clients understand whether they may have a claim and what evidence may be required.
Depending on the circumstances, this can include medical evidence relating to the injury, treatment and rehabilitation, as well as information about how the injury has affected the child’s education, daily life and future needs.
Every case is different, and whether a claim can be brought will depend on the circumstances and available evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
The FA has introduced a phased removal of deliberate heading in affiliated grassroots football for U7-U11 age groups. The changes began with U7-U9 in the 2024-25 season, U10 in 2025-26 and U11 in 2026-27. The rule applies to the relevant grassroots competitions and does not represent a blanket ban on heading throughout all levels of football.
The FA introduced the changes as a precautionary measure to help reduce potential risks associated with head impacts in young players. These include risks arising from heading and collisions involving the head. The FA has also stated that research into this area continues.
A head impact can cause a brain injury, including concussion. However, it would be inaccurate to say that every header causes a brain injury or that heading inevitably causes long-term neurological problems. Research into repeated head impacts and their potential long-term effects is ongoing.
Under the relevant rules, deliberate heading is an offence and results in an indirect free kick for the opposing team. The precise restart depends on where the deliberate header occurred. Accidental contact with the head is not treated as a deliberate header under the IFAB trial protocol.
Symptoms can include headache, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, confusion, memory difficulties, problems concentrating and changes in mood or behaviour. A child does not need to have lost consciousness to have concussion. If you are concerned following a head injury, seek appropriate medical advice.
If your child suffers a head injury, they should be assessed appropriately and should not simply return to play if concussion is suspected. The NHS provides guidance on symptoms requiring urgent medical attention and advises avoiding contact sports following a head injury until it is safe to return.
It may be possible in certain circumstances, but a sporting injury does not automatically mean that there is a valid personal injury claim. The circumstances of the injury, who may have been responsible, whether there was a failure to take reasonable care and the available medical evidence will all be relevant. A solicitor can assess the individual circumstances and explain whether a claim may be appropriate.