When a child joins an academy, the first questions at home are usually practical ones. How many evenings will it take? How many hours is that? Will there still be time for homework, friends and sleep? The answers depend on your child's age and the type of academy. But almost every academy week follows the same basic pattern, and once you can see it, the schedule starts to make sense. This guide explains what goes into a football academy training program, how the week is built around matches, and how it changes from primary school to Sixth Form. The short answer A typical academy week includes several coaching sessions that mix technical, tactical and physical work, usually one match, a lighter recovery session after it, at least one full rest day, and time for video review and individual targets. Premier League academies must provide at least 4 hours of coaching a week for the youngest players, rising to 12 to 14 hours from age 17. What Is Included in a Football Academy Training Programme? Most academy weeks are built from the same eight parts. The balance between them changes with age and with the fixture list, but you will usually find all of them somewhere in the week. 1. Technical and tactical sessions. These take up most of the pitch time. Players work on their touch, passing and decision-making, usually in games and practices. 2. Physical work. Movement, speed, agility and, for older players, strength. It is built up gradually and matched to each player's stage of growth. 3. Matches and fixtures. Matches are part of the programme, not just a weekly test. They give players the chance to use what they have practised under real pressure. 4. Recovery. Lighter work after a match helps the body bounce back. 5. Analysis and video review. Short sessions, often early in the week, where players look back at moments from their last game. 6. Individual work and reviews. Each player has their own targets, and coaches check progress every few weeks. 7. Mental skills. Confidence, focus and handling mistakes are usually built into sessions rather than given a separate slot. 8. Education and study. For parents, often the most important part of the week. We explain how it fits further down. How Many Hours a Week Do Academy Players Train? At professional club academies in England, the Premier League's youth development rules set a minimum number of coaching hours each week. The figure depends on the player's age group and the academy's category, from Category 1 (the most resourced) to Category 3. Age group 4m rising to 8 hours Category 2 Category 3 Foundation Phase (under-9s to under-11s) 4, rising to 8 hours 4, rising to 6 hours 4 hours Youth Development Phase (under-12s to under-16s) 8, rising to 12 hours 7, rising to 12 hours 5, rising to 7 hours Professional Development Phase (under-17s to under-21s) 14 hours 14 hours 12 hours A few things are worth knowing about these numbers: They are minimums, not targets. They include matches as well as training, and they are averaged over several weeks. Coaches can reduce them for rest or to protect players from overuse injuries. The season is long. Most age groups are coached for 40 weeks of the year. Players aged 15 and over at Category 1 and 2 academies train for 46. Young players' sessions are capped. A single session for the youngest age groups can last no more than two hours. School-based and independent academies set their own hours, and many train more often than a club academy because football sits inside the school day. Always ask for the weekly hours in writing. How the Week Is Built Around the Match The easiest way to understand an academy week is to start from the match and work backwards. Coaches plan the weekly training plan so that players are fresh on match day and have recovered before the hardest work begins again. The result is a wave: lighter days either side of the game, and the most demanding sessions in the middle.For a team that plays on Saturday, a typical pattern looks like this. When What usually happens How hard Day after the match Light recovery session and a short look back at the game Light Next day Rest, or very light activity Rest Middle of the week The longest, most demanding sessions: new ideas, intense games and physical work Hardest Two days before Team shape, tactics and set pieces Moderate Day before A short, sharp session to stay fresh Light Match day The match, with a warm-up and team talk Match The exact days vary from academy to academy, and many add individual sessions or video review on the lighter days. What changes with a midweek fixture? Two matches in a week squeeze the pattern. There is less room for hard sessions, so coaches lean towards recovery and short, focused work. A week with no fixture works the other way: it gives more time for development, and coaches often use it to introduce new ideas or work on individual targets. That is why no two academy weeks look exactly the same. What a Week Looks Like at Different Ages An eight-year-old's football training routine and a 17-year-old's have the same building blocks, but very different amounts of each. The table shows typical patterns at club academies; individual academies vary. Under-9s to under-11s Under-12s to under-16s 16 and under Sessions a week Usually 2 to 4 Usually 3 to 5 Daily, sometimes twice a day Session length Up to 2 hours Often 90 minutes to 2 hours Up to 4 hours of coaching a day in full-time programmes Matches Usually one, in small-sided formats Usually one, sometimes midweek too One or two Where school fits Training after school and at weekends After school; some club academies release players from lessons Education built into the football week Under-9s to under-11s The youngest players train a few times a week after school, with lots of small-sided games and plenty of touches. Matches are about learning rather than results, and players get at least half the playing time across a season. Enjoyment comes first, and children at this age can still play for their school team. Under-12s to under-16s The week gets fuller. There are more sessions, more tactical detail and more position-specific work, and physical training is introduced gradually. Video review becomes a regular part of the week. Some Category 1 and 2 club academies use a "hybrid" model, releasing players from school for up to two days a week to train. 16 and over This is where football becomes close to a full-time routine. Players who earn a scholarship at a professional club train most days and also complete at least 10 hours a week of education, usually a sports qualification alongside their football. At a school-based academy, Sixth Form study and daily training share one timetable. Where Do Rest and Recovery Fit? Rest is part of the programme, not time off from it. Players improve when their bodies adapt between sessions, and that only happens if there is time to recover. Paediatric guidance recommends that young athletes have at least one day a week off organised sport, and two to three months a year away from their main sport, spread across the year. Sleep matters just as much: most teenagers need 8 to 10 hours a night. Keep an eye out for signs the week is too heavy: tiredness that doesn't lift after a rest day, aches that keep coming back, poor sleep or a child who has stopped looking forward to training. If you notice them, talk to the coaches. How Do Academy Players Balance Training With School? This depends on the type of academy, and it is one of the biggest differences between them. Part-time club academies. Training happens after school, in the evenings and at weekends. School comes first, but the week can be long once you add travel and homework. Hybrid club academies. Some club academies release players aged 12 to 16 from school for up to two days a week to train, with the club and school agreeing how lessons are covered. Full-time programmes. From 16, scholars at professional clubs train during the day, with education built into the club's timetable. School-based academies. Football is part of the school timetable, so there is no travel between school and training. Lessons, sessions, homework and rest are planned together, and boarders have supervised study in the evenings. Whichever route you choose, ask when homework is expected to happen. A good academy will have a clear answer. Questions to Ask About an Academy's Weekly Schedule Before you commit, ask the academy to talk you through a normal week. These five questions will tell you most of what you need to know: How many sessions and hours a week will my child train, including matches? Which day is the rest day, and is it protected? How does the week change around fixtures, and during growth spurts? When does homework or study happen? How much travel does the week involve, and on which days? A Training Week at Claremont At our Claremont International Football Academy, football is built into our school timetable rather than added on after lessons. Boys and girls aged 7 to 18 train daily, in a programme we deliver in partnership with AF Global, so their football and their education are planned as one week rather than two. Around the pitch sessions, players have strength and conditioning, performance analysis and video review, physiotherapy and mental performance support, all scheduled around their lessons. Each player has an individual development plan, and showcase fixtures against professional academy sides, including Brighton, Bournemouth, Wolves and Crystal Palace, give them a demanding test of what they have worked on. Boarders keep up with schoolwork in scheduled study time after dinner, supervised by House Parents up to Year 10, so homework has a fixed place in the week. Final Thoughts A good academy week has a clear rhythm: hard work in the middle, recovery around matches, protected rest and time for school. The details change as your child grows, but that pattern should always be visible. If an academy can explain its week clearly, it has usually thought carefully about your child's development and wellbeing. Understand the training programme at our football academy, or book a tour to see a training day for yourself.
