The short answer
In 2026/27, by our count, 31 Premier League and EFL clubs run a Category 1 academy, 17 run Category 2, 36 run Category 3 and 4 run Category 4. Category 1 to 3 academies have squads from Under-9. Category 4 academies only have Under-17 to Under-21 squads. One club doesn't run an EPPP academy at all. We couldn't confirm 3 more, shown as not confirmed. Pick a club for its age groups, how far it can recruit from and the compensation due if a player leaves.
Every club's academy category
| Club | League | Academy | Academy base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | Premier League | Category 1 | Hale End Academy, Hale End, Walthamstow |
| Aston Villa | Premier League | Category 1 | Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Bodymoor Heath, North Warwickshire |
| Bournemouth | Premier League | Category 1 | AFC Bournemouth training ground, Canford Magna, Wimborne |
| Brentford | Premier League | Category 1 | Jersey Road training ground, Osterley, Hounslow |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Premier League | Category 1 | American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, Lancing, West Sussex |
| Chelsea | Premier League | Category 1 | Cobham Training Centre, Cobham, Surrey |
| Coventry City | Premier League | Category 2 | Alan Higgs Centre, Pinley, Coventry |
| Crystal Palace | Premier League | Category 1 | Crystal Palace Academy, Copers Cope Road, Beckenham |
| Everton | Premier League | Category 1 | Finch Farm, Halewood, Merseyside |
| Fulham | Premier League | Category 1 | Motspur Park, New Malden |
| Hull City | Premier League | Category 2 | Hull City Academy, Bishop Burton College, Bishop Burton, near Beverley |
| Ipswich Town | Premier League | Category 1 | Playford Road, Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich |
| Leeds United | Premier League | Category 1 | Thorp Arch, near Wetherby |
| Liverpool | Premier League | Category 1 | Liverpool FC Academy, Kirkby, Merseyside |
| Manchester City | Premier League | Category 1 | City Football Academy, Manchester |
| Manchester United | Premier League | Category 1 | Carrington Training Complex, Carrington, Greater Manchester |
| Newcastle United | Premier League | Category 1 | Newcastle United Academy, Little Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Nottingham Forest | Premier League | Category 1 | Nigel Doughty Academy, Wilford, West Bridgford |
| Sunderland | Premier League | Category 1 | Academy of Light, Sunderland |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | Category 1 | Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre, Enfield |
| Birmingham City | Championship | Category 1 | Knighthead Performance Centre, Kings Norton, Birmingham |
| Blackburn Rovers | Championship | Category 1 | Brockhall Training Ground, Brockhall Village, Old Langho, Blackburn |
| Bolton Wanderers | Championship | Category 2 | Eddie Davies Academy, Lostock, Bolton |
| Bristol City | Championship | Category 2 | Robins High Performance Centre, Failand, Bristol |
| Burnley | Championship | Category 1 | Barnfield Training Centre, Gawthorpe, Burnley |
| Cardiff City | Championship | Category 2 | Cardiff City Academy, Llanrumney, Cardiff |
| Charlton Athletic | Championship | Category 2 | Sparrows Lane Training Ground, New Eltham, London |
| Derby County | Championship | Category 1 | Moor Farm Training Centre, Oakwood, Derby |
| Lincoln City | Championship | Category 3 | Elite Performance Centre, Scampton, Lincoln |
| Middlesbrough | Championship | Category 1 | Rockliffe Park, Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington |
| Millwall | Championship | Category 2 | Millwall Academy, Well Hall, Kidbrooke Lane, Eltham, London |
| Norwich City | Championship | Category 1 | Avant Training Centre, Colney, Norwich |
| Portsmouth | Championship | Category 3 | Pompey training ground, Copnor Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth |
| Preston North End | Championship | Category 3 | Springfields Training Ground, Lea, Preston |
| Queens Park Rangers | Championship | Category 2 | Heston training ground, Heston, Hounslow |
| Sheffield United | Championship | Category 2 | Shirecliffe Academy, Firshill Crescent, Sheffield |
| Southampton | Championship | Category 1 | Staplewood Football Development & Support Centre, Marchwood, Southampton |
| Stoke City | Championship | Category 1 | Clayton Wood Training Ground, Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent |
| Swansea City | Championship | Category 2 | Joma High Performance Centre, Plasmarl, Swansea |
| Watford | Championship | Category 3 | Watford FC Training Ground, Bell Lane, London Colney, St Albans |
| West Bromwich Albion | Championship | Category 1 | West Bromwich Albion Academy, Halfords Lane, West Bromwich |
| West Ham United | Championship | Category 1 | Chadwell Heath Training Ground, Chadwell Heath, Romford |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Championship | Category 1 | Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, Compton Park, Wolverhampton |
| Wrexham | Championship | Category 3 | Wrexham |
| AFC Wimbledon | League One | Category 3 | New Malden Sports Ground, New Malden |
| Barnsley | League One | Category 2 | Barnsley FC Academy, Oakwell, Barnsley |
| Blackpool | League One | Category 3 | Squires Gate training ground, Lytham St Annes |
| Bradford City | League One | Category 3 | Woodhouse Grove School, Apperley Bridge |
| Bromley | League One | Category 4 | Bromley |
| Burton Albion | League One | Category 3 | St George's Park, Burton upon Trent |
| Cambridge United | League One | Category 3 | Cambridge United Training Complex, Cambridge |
| Doncaster Rovers | League One | Category 3 | Cantley Park, Doncaster |
| Huddersfield Town | League One | Category 2 | Canalside, Huddersfield |
| Leicester City | League One | Category 1 | LCFC Training Ground, Seagrave |
| Leyton Orient | League One | Category 3 | Old Chigwellians training ground, Roding Lane, Chigwell |
| Luton Town | League One | Category 3 | The Brache, Luton |
| Mansfield Town | League One | Category 3 | RH Academy, Woburn Lane, Mansfield |
| Milton Keynes Dons | League One | Category 3 | Milton Keynes |
| Notts County | League One | Category 3 | Notts County training ground, Holme Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham |
| Oxford United | League One | Category 3 | Oxford Sports Park, Horspath Road, Oxford |
| Peterborough United | League One | Category 2 | idverde Training Ground & Academy, Nene Park, Peterborough |
| Plymouth Argyle | League One | Category 3 | Harper's Park, Outland Road, Plymouth |
| Reading | League One | Category 1 | Bearwood Park, Sindlesham, Wokingham |
| Sheffield Wednesday | League One | Category 2 | Middlewood Road training ground, Sheffield |
| Stevenage | League One | Category 3 | Bragbury End, Stevenage |
| Stockport County | League One | Category 3 | Stockport Sports Village, Stockport |
| Wigan Athletic | League One | Category 2 | Christopher Park, Wigan |
| Wycombe Wanderers | League One | Not confirmed | |
| Accrington Stanley | League Two | No EPPP academy | |
| Barnet | League Two | Category 4 | The Hive London, Edgware, London |
| Bristol Rovers | League Two | Category 3 | Lockleaze Sports Centre, Bristol |
| Cheltenham Town | League Two | Category 3 | Smarta Energy Training Ground, Quat Goose Lane, Swindon Village, Cheltenham |
| Chesterfield | League Two | Category 4 | Chesterfield |
| Colchester United | League Two | Category 2 | Florence Park, Tiptree, Colchester |
| Crawley Town | League Two | Not confirmed | |
| Crewe Alexandra | League Two | Category 3 | Reaseheath Training Complex, Wettenhall Road, Nantwich |
| Exeter City | League Two | Category 3 | Cliff Hill Training Ground, Sidmouth Road, Exeter |
| Fleetwood Town | League Two | Category 2 | Poolfoot Farm, Butts Road, Thornton-Cleveleys |
| Gillingham | League Two | Category 3 | University of Kent, Canterbury (Under-9 to Under-16) and Beechings Cross, Gillingham (Under-17 and over) |
| Grimsby Town | League Two | Category 3 | Grimsby Town Training Ground, Cheapside, Waltham, Grimsby |
| Newport County | League Two | Category 3 | Newport |
| Northampton Town | League Two | Category 3 | Moulton College, West Street, Moulton, Northampton |
| Oldham Athletic | League Two | Category 3 | Chapel Road Training Ground, Oldham |
| Port Vale | League Two | Category 3 | Sproson Park, Hamil Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent |
| Rochdale | League Two | Category 3 | Platt Lane Sports Complex, Yew Tree Road, Fallowfield, Manchester |
| Rotherham United | League Two | Category 3 | Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park, Bawtry Road, Tinsley, Sheffield |
| Salford City | League Two | Category 3 | Mersey Valley Sports Club, Banky Lane, Sale |
| Shrewsbury Town | League Two | Category 3 | Croud Meadow, Oteley Road, Shrewsbury |
| Swindon Town | League Two | Category 3 | Calne |
| Tranmere Rovers | League Two | Not confirmed | |
| Walsall | League Two | Category 3 | Walsall FC Academy, Lichfield Road, Bloxwich, Walsall |
| York City | League Two | Category 4 | Wigginton Road Training Ground, Sutton Road, York |
Compiled from club, Premier League, EFL and press announcements. Last checked 29 October 2026. Each club page lists its sources. If something is out of date, email info@scout52.com.
What the categories mean
| Category | Age groups | Recruitment travel limit |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Under-9 to Under-21 | 1 hour to Under-11, 1½ hours to Under-16 (no limit Under-14 to Under-16 on the full-time model) |
| Category 2 | Under-9 to Under-21 | 1 hour to Under-11, 1½ hours to Under-16 |
| Category 3 | Under-9 to Under-21 | 1 hour to Under-11, 1½ hours to Under-16 |
| Category 4 | Under-17 to Under-21 | No limit |
A club's foundation (its community trust) is not the same as an academy's Foundation Phase (Under-9 to Under-11). Many clubs run community sessions and post-16 college programmes through their foundation, which can lead to a trial, but they are not academy registration.
For the full registration and trial rules, with examples, see academy travel time rules.
Scout52 Apps
Get the real journey time from a postcode
Scout52 Apps works out the drive time from a family's postcode to your training ground at real training times (weekday 5pm and 6pm, Saturday morning), with no traffic and by public transport. It also has an EPPP compensation calculator. £3.99 a month, unlimited.
Frequently asked questions
How many Category 1 academies are there?
31 of the 92 Premier League and EFL clubs run a Category 1 academy in 2026/27, by our count from club and league announcements.
What are the four academy categories?
Category 1 to 3 academies have squads from Under-9 to Under-21, with Category 1 the highest standard and the biggest budget. Category 4 academies only have Under-17 to Under-21 squads.
Can a club change category?
Yes. Categories are set after an independent audit, so a club can move up or down. Check the date on the source for each club.
Scout52 Apps
Need the compensation figure for a real player?
The EPPP compensation calculator in Scout52 Apps works out the training compensation year by year from the age groups and academy category, plus the appearance payments on top. Sign up for £3.99 a month or £36 a year.