The 4 Steps to Getting a Football Trial.... And your chance to turn pro!
- Intensive Development - experience UEFA-licensed coaching in a professional residential environment — technical, tactical, physical and psychological development. Everyone leaves our camps as better, more knowledgeable players”
- Genuine Scout Exposure Every camp culminates in a final-day trial in front of 30+ professional and semi-professional club scouts
- Proven Results – Join the world’s largest and most successful trials company. 750+ documented player success stories. 4.8/5 from 1,200+ independently verified reviews. Previous camp attendees have played in the Premier League and EFL.
What Pro Clubs & Scouts Say About UK Football Trials
What Parents & Players Say About UK Football Trials
UK Football Trials is a FEEFO GOLD Rated & Trusted Merchant 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Join over 300,000 followers on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Tiktok & Twitter
More information on UK Football Trials Since 2012 – Part of the UK Football Group.
What is a UK Football Trials residential camp?
UK Football Trials residential camps are intensive, multi-day football training and trial experiences held at Ardingly College in West Sussex, one of England's leading independent schools. Players live on site, train daily under UEFA-licensed coaches, and compete in a final-day trial match in front of professional and semi-professional club scouts. Camps run during the summer holidays and at Easter, with different length camp options available for boys and girls.
Every year, players travel to our camps from more than 50 countries, with around half of camp attendees joining us from overseas. Many players return year after year, progressing through age groups and, in many cases, into professional club academies,UK football specialist schools and scholarship programmes.
Who are the camps for?
Our residential camps are designed for serious young footballers who want more than a typical football camp experience. They suit players who want intensive, professional-standard coaching; players who want to test themselves against strong opposition from around the world; players who want to be seen by professional club scouts; and international players and families exploring pathways into UK football schools, private academies and the English football system.
Camps cater for outfield players and goalkeepers across all ability bands within our broad age groups of 8–11, 12–14, 15–17 and 18+. Places are limited and age groups regularly sell out, particularly for the flagship summer programme.
For players not looking for a football camp but still looking for the opportunity to be scouted, we recommend our UK based players look at our1 day trials registration page
What happens during a residential football camp?
A typical day combines 3 or 4 structured training sessions with tactical, technical, physical and psychological development, delivered by UEFA-licensed coaches in a professional residential environment. Evenings include recovery sessions, swimming pool access, workshops and supervised activities. All players are supported by qualified physios, and safeguarding-trained staff are on site throughout. Professional club scouts live on site with players and detailed scout reports can be purchased as an optional extra service.
Every camp culminates in a final trial day, where players compete in organised matches watched by approximately 30 scouts and coaches from professional and semi-professional clubs. All matches are filmed, and professional video highlight packages are available — a valuable asset for players building a portfolio for clubs, schools and academies.
Do real scouts attend the camps?
Yes. Scout attendance is the foundation of everything UK Football Trials does. Approximately 30 club scouts / coaches attend each camp trial day.
The results are documented, not claimed: UK Football Trials has published more than 750 player success stories on our website, with alumni progressing to clubs across the Premier League, EFL and professional game worldwide — including players such as Dan Jebbison, Bade Aluko and Isaac Allen, who began their journeys at our events. We hold an independently verified rating of 4.8 out of 5 from more than 1,200 Feefo reviews.
Can international players attend?
Yes — around half of our camp attendees travel from overseas each year, and our camps are specifically set up to support international families. For overseas players, the camp is often the first step into the UK football system: leading independent football schools attend our trial days and regularly offer scholarships (typically between 5% and 25%) to players they identify. Each year, UK Football Trials players progress into UK private schools with elite football programmes — a proven pathway for international families considering a UK education alongside football development. With the current Visa rules, it is hard for International players who are not living / schooling in the UK to be invited into clubs, although many now have International scouting networks and the camps represent an opportunity to get on the databases of English clubs. At the camps, we deliver a comprehensive “Pathways session” where the routes to professional football are clearly explained.
Where are the camps held?
All residential camps take place at Ardingly College in West Sussex, in the South East of England. The venue offers professional-standard pitches, on-site residential accommodation, excellent dining facilities, a swimming pool, gym, spoprts hall, astro pitches and secure, supervised grounds — a genuine professional environment within easy reach of London and Gatwick Airport. Ardingly has been used by the England Lionesses as a training base, Premier league academy teams and the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA).