New rules for young footballers - 8th August 2022

In football, hitting the ball with your head, or “heading” is an important part of the game. But scientific evidence shows this can damage the brain. In the next few months, the Football Association is testing a new idea. Young players under 12 won’t be allowed to head the ball.

Doctors and scientists are worried about players’ brain health. Hitting the ball again and again with the head is unhealthy. It’s now known that experienced footballers have a much greater chance of dying from brain disease. One common disease is called “dementia”. Footballers are three and a half times more likely to get this disease.

New advice was introduced last year for adult footballers. It advised players to do no more than 10 "headers" a week during training.

The experiment for young players will take place in England. Football clubs and schools across the country will be involved. If it works, then the rules will later change for all matches.

Heading the ball in children’s football may soon be a thing of the past. But in the future, players will stay healthier. And it's possible the changes will have an effect on the adults’ game too.