COVID-19 UPDATE
COVID-19 - LATEST INFORMATION
All the latest information regarding COVID-19 and football can be found here.
If your question has not been answered or you require further information, please email info@nottinghamshirefa.com and a member of the team will get back to you.
Update on grassroots football - effective 12th April 2021
Travel
As organised sport can resume, all participants may travel to games but should avoid travel at the busiest times and routes, as well as minimising any unnecessary journeys where possible. All participants must follow the Government’s guidance on safer travel. Participants should note that this guidance will be updated as we move through the different steps of the Government’s roadmap. All participants should therefore regularly review this guidance to make sure they are following up to date information.
Changing rooms
Changing rooms can be used as part of step two of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown. However, participants should minimise their use of changing facilities where possible. Toilets will be allowed to open, 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after training and/or matches.
Spectators
On 7 April the Government updated its guidance in relation to spectators, which can be found here. This confirms that at step two and step one b, spectators are not permitted to attend sporting events taking place on private land, other than adults needed to supervise under-18s that they have a responsibility for or providing care or assistance to a person with disabilities. They should maintain social distance and not mix with other households. This does not prevent people from viewing recreational or organised sport that is taking place in a public space, e.g. a park, at step one b or step two, in groups of up to 6 people or 2 households. However, sporting events that are intended to attract spectators (including ticketed football matches), or events that are likely to attract a significant number of spectators (e.g. matches that would attract a large crowd) should not take place in a public space, or on private land, until step three.
Parents/Carers
Where clubs and facilities can accommodate this safely, parents and carers are permitted to be present at football activities, although they must observe the relevant Government Covid-19 guidance, including those on gathering limits for spectators.
Indoor Football
As part of step two of the Government’s roadmap, indoor football for under 18s can take place in line with Department for Education and Out of School Setting guidance. All participants should read and follow this guidance for all indoor football activities.
Disabled people can take part in organised outdoor and indoor football without being subject to social contact limits.
Indoor football for adults is not currently allowed. This is planned to return no earlier than Monday 17 May for adults, as part of step three of the Government’s roadmap.
Outdoor Hospitality
As part of step two of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown, outdoor hospitality at grassroots football is permitted. All participants must follow government guidance on hospitality settings and the specific advice for sport facility operators available on the government’s website. People using clubhouses and hospitality facilities must adhere to legal gathering limits and wider government guidance. Please note that while outdoor hospitality is permitted, spectators are not allowed at games unless on public land.
This guidance applies to all youth and adult football and futsal, including all formats of the game. If there are any further updates from the Government, we will communicate these in due course and we will continue to update our guidance as we move through the different steps of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
It is extremely important that clubs, players, coaches, match officials, league officials, volunteers, parents, carers, and facility providers continue to strictly follow both the UK Government's latest guidance on COVID-19 and respective bespoke guidance documents from The FA. Any incidents of non-compliance should be reported to the local County Football Association.
FULL INFORMATION & GUIDANCE CAN BE FOUND HERE
An update on grassroots football - 24th March 2021
On Monday 29th March, as part of the next stage of the Government’s roadmap out of national lockdown, outdoor sports facilities can open, and organised outdoor football can take place.
The FA has now published updated guidance, based on the latest Government advice available, which applies to all outdoor youth and adult football and futsal, including all formats of the game. If there are any further updates from the Government, we will communicate these in due course. We will also update our guidance as we move through the different steps of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
We would like to remind those involved in football, the health and well-being of others is imperative. Do not attend or participate if you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19, are awaiting a test result or are part of a household which is self-isolating.
The NHS Test and Trace system must also be adopted by clubs and facilities. This is a legal requirement. Further information can be found below. If you do have the capability to display a QR code, please ensure you take contact details of those attending.
Our policy is to follow the government's, Public Health England, NHS and the FA's guidelines and advice.
public health england guidance
Guidance for Return to Football
The latest guidance on the return to football can be found below.
NHS Test and Trace
It is now a legal requirement for venues and facilities to download and display an NHS QR code.
The relevant settings this applies to are:
· clubs providing team sporting activities
· facilities for use by elite and professional sportspeople (including sports stadia)
· indoor sport and leisure centres
· cafes, including workplace canteens
· bars, including bars in hotels or members’ clubs
Please note this updated guidance came into effect on the 24th September and failure to comply will result in Government issued fines.
An extensive FAQs list on the NHS QR code posters can be found here.
Full information on test and trace can be found here.
For clubs and teams that use local authority pitches or hire pitches where they do not have access to a building/facilities are still encouraged to download and use an NHS QR code. Players and officials can scan the QR code on a phone or print out a poster.
Useful Documents/Guidance and Links
guidance for facilities providers
women's football pyramid club guidance