Grassroots football in Berkshire

Find a club in Berkshire

Browse the Berkshire clubs we list, filtered by age group and by whether teams are boys, girls or mixed. Where information is available you can check it before contacting the club, and anything not shown is worth asking about directly.

Why Berkshire shares a County FA with Buckinghamshire

Berkshire is served by Berks and Bucks FA (opens in a new tab) rather than by a Berkshire-only County FA. The association still defines its area using the pre-1974 county boundaries.

That matters because the modern administrative map no longer matches the football map. Berks and Bucks FA describes its current area as Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire.

So a modern postal county does not always tell you which County FA a club sits under. If you are unsure, ask the club or check with the County FA. A club's playing ground normally establishes its County FA headquarters, and the league a team enters can affect which affiliation it needs.

It is worth knowing because the County FA handles your club's affiliation and county competitions, and it is also part of the safeguarding escalation route in England.

How youth football is organised in Berkshire

There is no single youth league covering Berkshire. Berks and Bucks FA's current youth-league directory (opens in a new tab) includes the Berkshire Youth Development League, East Berks Football Alliance, Reading & West Berkshire League and Berkshire County Girls League, alongside wider competitions such as the Allied Counties Youth Football League and Thames Valley Football Development League.

Which league your child plays in depends on the club and the age group. Ask the club for its current team information, and what a typical away journey looks like, before joining.

The Berks and Bucks FA youth-league directory is the best place to check the current competition list, because leagues and affiliations can change.

Age groups, formats and rules

Berkshire clubs play under England Football rules, so the formats, ball sizes and heading rules are the England ones rather than anything county-specific.

If you are working out which age group your child is in, England groups players by school year. The England age group rules page sets out the format for each age group for the current season, including the Under 7 3v3 game and the heading rules for Under 7 to Under 11.

That guide explains the national framework. Your child's league can also have competition-specific rules, so check the current league information for anything affecting fixtures or match arrangements.

Girls' football in Berkshire

Berkshire clubs may offer girls-only teams, mixed teams or both. Mixed football is permitted in England from Under 7 to Under 18, so a girl who wants to keep playing in a mixed team can.

If you want a girls-only environment, ask how many girls' age groups a club runs rather than only whether it has a team at your daughter's age. A club with a section is offering more continuity than a club with one team. You can also see which Berkshire clubs list girls' teams.

Tournaments and camps in Berkshire

Tournaments, festivals and camps in Berkshire are listed alongside clubs — see what is coming up. Check the organiser-declared details before entering or booking.

New to this?

If you are just starting out, three guides cover most of what people ask.

• When can my child start playing football, if you are working out whether they are old enough.
• How to choose a grassroots football club, if you are deciding between clubs.
• Joining a club, if you have found one and want to know what the season involves.