Affiliation window is opening up soon
IT’S time to get your club ready to affiliate for the 2024-25 season.
So that your club can be prepared to click submit once the affiliation window opens there are some new requirements which are important for our clubs to start preparing for now so you can be ready for the upcoming season.
Club affiliation will again be available in Club Portal instead of through the Whole Game System.
Affiliation Requirements for the 2024-25 season are as follows:
All Clubs
Public Liability Insurance – All clubs are required to have Public Liability Insurance covering the club for the upcoming year. This must be a minimum of £10 million pounds.
Club Ground – It is a requirement for clubs to state their main home ground. You can do this ahead of affiliation through the ‘My Club’ tab. You can find guidance on how to complete this here.
Key Officials – Clubs are required to state their key officials. You can find guidance on how to add your key officials here.
Safeguarding Declaration – Every club will be required to accept a Safeguarding Declaration. Where clubs have teams that play across different levels of the game, multiple declarations will need to be accepted (available from June 1st 2024).
Clubs With Adult Teams Only
Personal Accident Insurance – All teams are required to have Personal Accident Insurance, including U5 and U6 teams.
Team Ground – It is a requirement for teams to state their main home ground. You can do this ahead of affiliation through the ‘My Club’ tab. You can find guidance on how to complete this here.
Named Manager or Coach – Every named official apart from the Team Secretary will need to have completed the Player Welfare Course added as a requirement. If your team has U18s players, all named managers, coaches, first aiders will also be required to complete a DBS. To complete the course, please click here.
Welfare Officer (Adult) - Clubs with adult teams require a named ‘Welfare Officer (Adult Teams)’. For the 2024-25, it is mandatory to make sure this position has completed the course. To complete the course, please click here. In addition, the Welfare Officer (Adult) will also require a DBS in the event of an u18 being registered.
Clubs With Youth Teams
Personal Accident Insurance – All teams are required to have Personal Accident Insurance, including U5 and U6 teams.
Team Ground – It is a requirement for teams to state their main home ground. You can do this ahead of affiliation through the ‘My Club’ tab. You can find guidance on how to complete this here.
Named Manager or Coach – Every youth team must name all managers and coaches assigned to each team. This can be completed ahead of affiliation through the ‘Officials’ tab. All managers and coaches require an in-date, accepted DBS and to have completed the Safeguarding Children Course.
How should we get ready?
Before starting the affiliation process, all clubs should:
Familiarise with using the Club Portal to process your club admin (apart from processing discipline).
Please check the expiry date of your team officials Safeguarding for Children qualification and renew if they are about to expire. Click here to access the free Safeguarding for Recertification course.
Ensure all outstanding invoices from this season are paid. You will not be able to complete your affiliation without these being paid.
Ensure all player suspensions from last season have been assigned fixtures (unless the suspension is carrying over to next season). If you need any help, please click here or contact Discipline@SuffolkFA.com
Once you have finished your season, we strongly encourage all clubs to access their Club Portal and detach any players that are no longer part of your club. Any questions or support please contact PlayerRegistration@SuffolkFA.com and we can help.
For further information on the affiliation changes, please click here.
If you have any questions or need some advice, please email melissa.stickland@suffolkfa.com and she will be happy to assist you.
The FA are holding a club affiliation training webinar on June 11th, 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Click below to sign up.
