Matches Against Foreign Opposition  

If your club wishes to go on tour, or take part in a tournament abroad, there are regulations set by The Football Association that you will need to follow. These also apply if you wish to host a tournament involving teams from other countries or play a match against a touring side.

You can obtain full information and an application form by downloading the specific section of The FA Handbook below.

In addition, an application to participate in a match or a series of matches against members of another National Association involving players of school age shall be required to demonstrate that all such players have received the necessary permission from their head teacher before The Association will give consent.

To play one or more matches against foreign opposition, whether at home or abroad, clubs must send their completed application form to The Football Association at least 60 days in advance, although we recommend you apply as early as possible.

International Clearance for Players 

If you want register a player over the age of 10 that has previously been registered for a club abroad (including the other Home Associations), or who is a foreign national seeking to register in England for the first time, they must first receive international clearance.   

International clearance is applicable at all levels of the game and it is the club's responsibility to find out from the player whether clearance may or may not be required. 

If you think you may need to apply for clearance, or have any questions, contact us for guidance on 01159837400.

Information for Players, Clubs and Match Officials

The FA has created a practical guide which is hoped will provide clubs with the ability to understand and apply the formal regulations in relation to advertising on the clothing of players, club and match officials. This can be downloaded below.

This guide includes imagery depicting how the regulations should be followed in order that clubs interpret and apply them correctly.

In addition, in order to help clubs maximise the space for advertising and sponsors, The FA have included practical examples of how they would measure sponsors advertising on football shirts.

We would encourage clubs and clothing manufacturers to seek feedback at the earliest possible time in relation to designs and advertising from The FA and their specific competition.

For any further clarification on the contents of the document below or matters relating to it, please email sanctioning@thefa.com