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Tuesday, March 17, 2026

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FA and Top Baller launch national search  

The Football Association has teamed up with Top Baller to deliver a four-part event series to discover, support and accelerate emerging female talent across England.

The innovative partnership aims to open up the England and Club talent pathways to more young players - particularly those who may not have previously accessed traditional scouting routes. The ambition is clear: to find top-level talent from every culture, community and background.

 

Rooted in a shared ambition to make the talent pathway more accessible, the programme will create new opportunities for young girls to showcase their skills in a dynamic, high-energy environment where creativity, confidence and individuality are celebrated.

 

The talent ID events will be hosted across three major hotbeds of talent: London, Leicester and Leeds - culminating in a national finale at St. George’s Park, where the best ballers will have the chance to show off their skills in front of FA scouts and coaches. The focus will be on identifying players who are raw, rare and relentless, with the potential to go on and progress within the England pathway.

 

Each event will be run ‘The Top Baller way’ in the format of high-energy 1v1 and 5v5 matchups, as well as incorporating other skill challenges designed to test technical ability, decision-making and creativity under pressure. The message is simple: step onto the pitch and let the football do the talking.

 

This series follows on from a successful pilot last summer, which took place in north London and saw over 150 players in attendance, many of whom had never engaged in talent pathway opportunities before. Of those participants, 18 are now in the selection pool for the England women development teams.

 

Across the 2026 programme, the partnership aims to engage 500 young female footballers aged 12-15 from diverse backgrounds. Reflecting the innovation of the event format, recruitment will also take a fresh approach, driven by a social-first campaign designed to connect directly with younger audiences and diverse communities.

 

Emma Jenks, Head of Women’s Talent at The FA, said: “We are really excited to be partnering with Top Baller again to create even more opportunities for girls across the country to engage with the talent pathway. This partnership is all about widening our reach and removing barriers to entry to ensure that every young talented player sees that there is a route into the England and Club talent pathway.

 

“We know that there is an incredible depth of talent in communities nationwide, and by working with Top Baller to deliver these events, we are opening up more entry points for us to connect with players and families who may not have previously engaged in the system. Together, we're continuing to strengthen and diversify our talent pathway, helping shape a more inclusive future for the women’s game.”

 

Manuel Silva, Top Baller Founder, said: “Top Baller and The FA are creating real opportunities for young female players in England and are highlighting that incredible footballing talent can be found anywhere, from the streets to the cages to the clubs.

 

"Following such a successful pilot event last summer, we’re excited to grow this partnership, taking opportunities to young girls across the country and show them that regardless of where they come from, there is a route for them into the England talent pathway.”

 

For more information on the events, or to sign up, visit:

London: https://topballer.co/events/fa-x-top-baller-talent-id-event-london-2/

Leicester: https://topballer.co/events/fa-x-top-baller-talent-id-event-leicester/

Leeds: https://topballer.co/events/fa-x-top-baller-talent-id-event-leeds/