English Schools' Football Association

Competition Rules 2024-2025

ESFA UNDER 16 SCHOOLS’ CUPS (BOYS & GIRLS)

INTRODUCTION

The rules stated below shall be addition to those entitled “General Competition Rules”.

1. NAME

• ESFA Premier League Under 16 Schools’ Cup for Boys
• ESFA Premier League Under 16 Schools’ Cup for Girls
• ESFA Premier League Under 16 Small Schools’ Trophy
• ESFA Premier League Under 16 Open Schools’ Cup

2. ENTRIES

1. Schools’ Cup, Open Schools’ Cup, Small Schools’ and Girls’ Cups: The Cup shall be offered for annual competition to schools in affiliated membership with the English Schools’ Football Association. Council has the right to fill any vacancy that may occur in the first national round. To be eligible to enter the Small Schools’ Trophy, the affiliated school must have fewer than 65 boys on roll in Year 11.
2. 'B' Team Cup: The cup shall be offered for annual competition to B teams of Schools in affiliated membership with the ESFA, and which have entered an ‘A’ team entered and fulfilled a fixture in the in the ESFA PlayStation Under 16 Schools’ Cup (includes Open Schools’ and Small Schools’ Cups).

3. ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

1. Schools’ Cup and Small Schools’ Trophy: Only bona-fide scholars receiving full time education in accordance with the Education Acts who are on the roll of a school affiliated to the ESFA and who are over the age of 15 years and under the age of 16 years at midnight between the previous 31st August and 1st September shall be allowed to take part in this competition. (Year 11 only)
2. Girls’ Cup: Only bona-fide scholars receiving full time education in accordance with the Education Acts who are on the roll of a school affiliated to the ESFA and who are over the age of 14 years and under the age of 16 years at midnight between the previous 31st August and 1st September shall be allowed to take part in this competition. (Years 10 & 11 girls only)
3. B Team Cup: Only players who have not represented their school in the ESFA PlayStation Under 16 Schools’, Open Schools’ or Small Schools’ Cup are eligible to take part in the 'B' Team Cup. Schools that enter this competition must, on request from the ESFA, provide evidence that they have adhered to this rule. Schools that infringe this rule will be removed from both competitions. Players registered with the programme for excellence are not eligible to take part in the ‘B’ Team Cup. (Year 11 only)

4. THE COMPETITIONS

1. The matches shall be played on a cup tie principal and shall take precedence over all other school games.
2. The draw will be published on the ESFA website (www.esfa.co.uk) and will be arranged so that the travelling by the away team is kept to a minimum.

5. DURATION OF MATCHES

The duration of each match shall be 40 minutes each way. If it is deemed inadvisable to play for 80 minutes, the Secretaries of the competing teams and the Referee may decide that the duration of play shall be 70 minutes (35 minutes each way).