FA Guidelines on Heading in Training

The Football Associations of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland have released new guidelines which will effectively ban heading practice in training sessions for primary school children (U11 and younger).

The guidance has been put together after studies have shown that professional footballers were three and a half times more likely to die of neurodegenerative disease than age-matched members of the general population .

It’s important to point out that the study did not state that heading a ball was the cause of the increased prevalence of neurodegenerative conditions among footballers, but the decision to update the guidelines has been taken to “mitigate against any potential risks”, the FA said in a statement.

Unlike in the US, the guidelines do not stop the children from heading the ball during the game.

For more information, please visit the Football Association website http://www.thefa.com/news/2020/feb/24/les-howie-heading-guidance-240220