Players, managers, coaches, and fans all look forward to the football season beginning. While the start and end of the league season in the professional game are heavily advertised, it is not always the case for grassroots football.
The new football season starts after weeks of preseason training and friendlies, and just like in the professional game, at the grassroots level, clubs unveil new signings and buy new kits, football accessories and other equipment. But when does the season start for grassroots clubs?
In this guide, we take a look at when the grassroots football season in the UK is, including its start and end dates, as well as taking a look at when youth leagues and the professional football season runs.
When does the grassroots football season start?
The grassroots football season starts in August, but not all leagues start on the same weekend. Some leagues can start at the beginning of August, whilst other grassroots leagues can start in the middle of August. This can vary depending on the size of the league and the number of teams in it.
If you are a manager or coach, and you still need football kit bags or training apparatus before the new season starts, take a look at the different football training equipment we have available.
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When does the grassroots football season end?
This can vary depending on specific leagues, but generally, grassroots football seasons end in May. Some leagues, however, can end as early as March or April, but this depends on how good or bad the weather has been and how many matches were called off and therefore need to be re-scheduled for later in the season.
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When do youth football leagues start and end in the UK?
Most youth football leagues in the UK kick their seasons off on the first weekend of September, but like adult teams and Sunday League clubs, many youth teams will have been training and playing friendlies for anywhere up to four to six weeks before the season starts.
Not all youth leagues will start on the same date as each other, but the fixtures secretary, manager or coach should have information about when the league season starts.
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When does the Premier League season start?
The Premier League is England's highest level of football, and it always starts in August. The 2023/24 Premier League season starts on August 12, and the mid-season player break will be returning and will take place between January 13-20.
The Premier League made commitments to clubs this season to tackle the congested schedule across Christmas and New Year, which means no matches will take place within 48 hours of each other.
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When does the Premier League season end?
Nine months after starting, the Premier League season ends in May. The 2023/24 season will finish on May 19, 2024.
When does the Championship, League One & Two seasons start and finish?
The Championship, League One, and League Two seasons generally start at the beginning of August and will start a week before the Premier League season begins. In 2023, the Championship, League One and Two seasons kicked off on 4 and 5 August.
The EFL, which consists of the Championship, League One and Two leagues, is unique as following the regular season, there are play-offs. The play-offs see teams that finish from third to sixth in their respective league compete for promotion. The team in third will play the team in sixth, whilst the teams finishing fourth and fifth will play each other in a semi-final, and the winner of those fixtures will then play in the final.
The dates for the play-off finals in 2024 are as follows:
Championship play-off final: 26 May
League One play-off final: May 18
League Two play-off final: May 19
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When does the Women’s Super League season start and end?
The start and end dates for the Women’s Super League (WSL) season differ slightly from the Premier League and EFL in the men's game. The WSL season generally starts towards the end of September and runs until May.
The WSL season in 2023/24 starts the weekend of September 29/30 and October 1, whilst the season's final day is the weekend of May 18/19, 2024.
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How important is grassroots football?
Grassroots football is vital as it not only encourages diversity and inclusion as it is accessible to all, but it allows players to develop and polish their skills whilst still having fun.
Adult and youth players in grassroots football not only improve their technical skills but they learn about teamwork, leadership, friendship, and other important life skills. Grassroots football can also help you to reduce stress and keep physically fit.
If you play or are involved in grassroots football or are looking to get into it, then you should look at all the different training equipment we offer, including football goals and a football rebounder.
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