The FA have announced some changes in the affiliatin process for the 2023-24 season, including a change of system.
From the coming season, affiliation will be completed via Club Portal (same system as used for accreditation and player registrations), and there are some changes to the process
- Clubs will be able to affiliate team by team or in batches, rather that having to wait until all the teams are ready.
- Clubs will be able to purchase their insurance directly in Club Portal.
- Clubs will be able to change the League of a team, as long as no players have been registered.
- Teams can be folded at any time of the season directly in Club Portal.
- Teams will be approval automatically as long as everything has been completed including insurance purchase.
New Season Requirements
There are also some new requirements all connected with safeguarding.
- All managers and coaches of youth teams (U7-U18) must have an in-date, accepted FA DBS check and from 2023-24 must have an in-date safeguarding children qualification
- All managers and coaches of open age teams (U21 in OYFL) that have U18 players (aged 16 or 17) must have an in-date, accepted FA DBS check.
- All clubs with open age teams (including U21) must have a named Welfare Officer (Adults Teams)
- All clubs with open age disability teams must have a named Welfare Officer (Adult Disability Teams) who has completed the Safeguarding Adults qualification
- All clubs will be required to complete a safeguarding declaration.
All managers and coaches of teams in the OYFL must be listed in Club Portal in one of the four manager/coach roles (please do not duplicate). Anyone listed as Team Secretary cannot coach or manage a team.