Grassroots football in Sussex
Sussex is two counties for most purposes and one for football: Sussex County FA covers East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove together, and its youth leagues are organised by district rather than through one county-wide competition.
This page covers how it fits together, and links to the clubs we list.
League structures and club provision change between seasons. Check details with the club or league before relying on them.
Information checked on
Get listed, free:I run a club or team All ways to get listed
Find a club in Sussex
Browse the Sussex 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.
Sussex County FA and the leagues it sanctions
Sussex County FA says its county football leagues offer opportunities for teams to play the beautiful game in a range of formats (opens in a new tab), providing organised football to players of all ages. Teams playing in an affiliated league can also enter the county cup competitions.
If you want to know which County FA handles your child's team, ask the club. 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 Sussex
There is no single youth league covering Sussex. Sussex County FA lists its youth competitions by district, which gives parents a useful starting point when checking which leagues operate around their club.
Sussex County FA's current youth league list (opens in a new tab) includes the Arun & Chichester Youth Football League, Crawley & District Youth Football League, Crowborough & District Junior Football League, Horsham & District Youth Football League, Mid Sussex Youth Football League, Rother & District Youth Football League, Southern Combination Youth Football League and Sussex Sunday Youth Football League.
Leagues do not have to stop at a county boundary. A club near the edge of Sussex may play in a competition based in Surrey, Kent or Hampshire, and that is normal. If your club's league is not on the County FA's list, ask the club which league it enters and which County FA it is affiliated to.
The age ranges differ between competitions, so some run from Under 7 through to Under 18 while others cover a narrower band. Ask the club which league its team plays in and which ages that league runs.
The Sussex County FA league list is the best place to check the current sanctioned competitions, because leagues and affiliations can change.
Age groups, formats and rules
Sussex 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 Sussex
Sussex clubs may offer girls-only teams, mixed teams or both. Sussex County FA lists the Sussex County Women & Girls Football League among its youth leagues as well as its women's leagues, and 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 Sussex clubs list girls' teams.
Tournaments and camps in Sussex
Tournaments, festivals and camps in Sussex 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.
Common questions
How do I find a club near me in Sussex?
Browse the clubs listed here and filter by age group. Contact more than one club, because availability at a particular age group can change during the season.
Is East Sussex a different County FA from West Sussex?
No. Sussex County FA covers East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. The youth leagues are organised by district within that.
Are the rules different in Sussex?
The core age-group and playing-format rules are England-wide. Leagues and cups can then have their own competition rules, so check those as well.
Does Sussex County FA run the leagues?
No. Sussex County FA affiliates and sanctions leagues, runs county cups, and handles discipline and the safeguarding escalation route. Fixtures and competition rules are the individual league's.
