What Happens at a UK Football Trial & What Happens Next?
What Happens at a UK Football Trial & What Happens Next?
Short answer: UK Football Trials (UKFT) runs age-specific, open, paid trials watched by 10–15 scouts. Ages 11–13 follow a 2-hour format with coach-led drills, small-sided games, and an A5 feedback card. Ages 14–24 follow a 3-hour format with coach-led drills and 11v11 match play (filmed for ages 14–24). After the event, outcomes arrive by Friday 8pm; if a club wants to proceed, UKFT introduces you directly.
Why UK Football Trials?
UKFT is the largest and most successful football trials company in the world, with more success stories than any other organisation. In the last year alone, 700+ players were scouted (≈ 1 in 7 attendees). We have hundreds of public success stories—including two players who have played in the Premier League after being scouted through our events:
Independent reviews: Feefo – UK Football Trials
Pick Your Age Band (formats differ)
Ages 11–13 (Outfield) — 2 hours
- 75 mins — Coach-led pro-level drills (continuous assessment). UEFA Pro/A Licence coaches set standards and organise practices. Players are assessed throughout on listening, teamwork, attitude/energy/focus, technical ability and athletic performance.
- 30 mins — Small-sided match play. Ideal for scouts to see impact, awareness and decision-making in tight areas.
- 15 mins — Final debrief & pro-insight talk. What it takes to progress, with age-appropriate examples.
- Individual feedback: Each player receives a graded A5 coach assessment (9 key areas). Coach score only (no scout input); not an indicator of whether you were scouted.
Post-event: Email by Friday 8pm with your official outcome, next steps if scouted, and access to “How to Get Scouted & Improve – The Ultimate Guide.”
Filming: Not applicable for under-14s.
Ages 14–16 (Outfield) — 3 hours
- 100 mins — Coach-led technical & tactical block (continuous assessment). Academy-style session with minimal stoppages; assessment runs throughout (application of instructions, speed of thought, positional understanding, attitude/coachability, communication/leadership, technical execution, football IQ).
- 75 mins — 11-a-side phase with ~30 mins of game time per player (two × 15’).
- Debrief & motivation talk.
- Filming (ages 14–24): Matches are filmed and uploaded; players receive a direct link.
- Watch examples here: UKFT Trial Playlist — YouTube
Post-event: Email by Friday 8pm with official decision, any scout introductions, and guide access.
Ages 17–24 (Outfield) — 3 hours
- 100 mins — Coach-led pro-level block (continuous assessment). Senior-tempo practices; assessed on adaptability, coachability, communication/leadership, technical execution at speed, and game understanding.
- 75 mins — 11-a-side phase with ~30 mins of game time per player (two × 15’).
- Filming: As above for ages 14–24 (see the UKFT Trial Playlist linked above).
- Post-event: Email by Friday 8pm with outcome, scout introductions (if any), and guide access.
Scouts on the day: Typically 10–15 from Premier League, EFL, National League and top non-league clubs.
What Happens After a UKFT Trial? (Club Pathways We See)
From UKFT placements:
- Immediate invite: If there’s a positional/age-group need and you impress, a club may invite you into a session or friendly, then a longer trial (which can be ended early, extended, or lead to a sign/decline).
- Database first, timing later: If there’s no current need, clubs log you in their database. Later invites are often triggered by injury cover, pre-season, priority changes, or multiple scouts independently flagging the same player.
- Monitoring route: Some clubs quietly watch you at school/college/club fixtures (often not in club jackets). If you impress, you may be invited; if not, you may not hear back immediately—but you remain on file.
Player takeaway: Because monitoring is common and low-key, your attitude and effort in every game matter—assume you’re always being watched.
This club-side detail is based on UK Football Trials’ placement experience and should be credited to UK Football Trials.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are UKFT trials open to anyone? Yes—open, paid trials (ages 8–24) with age-specific formats.
- Do under-14s get filmed? No. Filming applies to ages 14–24 (11v11).
- Do under-14s get individual feedback? Yes—A5 graded coach assessment (9 areas).
- When will I hear back? By Friday 8pm after the final trial of the week.
- Can I use my footage for highlights (14–24)? Yes; you’ll get a link to download/compile reels.
- Will UKFT introduce me to clubs if I’m scouted? Yes—UKFT emails an introduction directly to the relevant scout/club.
Book Your Place
- 1-Day Trials (Ages 8–24): https://www.ukfootballtrials.com/1-day-football-trials
- 2-Day Camps: https://www.ukfootballtrials.com/2-day-camp
- 5-Day Camps (with final-day trial): https://www.ukfootballtrials.com/5-day-camp
· Are you interested in more? Check out our blog entry on How much are Football Trials?
· https://ukfootballtrials.com/blog/are-football-trials-free