How to Become a Professional Footballer in the UK
Professional footballers are paid to play for a club, from the Premier League down through the English Football League, the Scottish leagues and full-time non-league sides. The route is narrow and starts young: most professionals come through a club academy, win a two-year scholarship at 16 and are offered a professional contract at 17 or 18.
Only a minority of academy players make it, so the honest version of this guide covers the back-up routes too: trials after release, non-league football, college and university programmes, and keeping your education going. It also explains how long the path takes, what qualifications matter (very few) and what players earn at each level.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £18,000 - £40,000 (lower leagues)
- Mid-career salary
- £60,000 - £200,000
- Senior salary
- £500,000 - £15m+ (top flight)
- Work environment
- Training ground + matches, public scrutiny
- Time to entry
- 10+ years (academy from young age)
- Degree required
- Not required
- Category
- Sport, Fitness and Wellbeing
Compare pay across careers in the UK salaries by career report. Also in: High-paying careers, No-degree careers.
What a Professional Footballer does
Play football professionally for a club.
How to become a professional footballer in the UK
There is no exam or qualification that makes you a footballer. Clubs sign players on ability, physical development, attitude and how they perform over time. Scouts watch grassroots and school football, and players are usually invited to an academy or a development centre for trials. Academies are graded Category 1 to 4 under the Elite Player Performance Plan, with Category 1 the most intensive.
At 16, the academy decides whether to offer a two-year scholarship: full-time training plus education, often a BTEC or similar course. Towards the end of the scholarship, the club decides whether to offer a professional contract. Players who are released can attend exit trials, join another club's academy or under-21 side, play non-league football while working or studying, or join a college or university football programme. Some late developers do break through from non-league in their twenties.
- Play regularly at the highest level available to you - grassroots clubs are where academy scouts look.
- Get into a club academy: most players join between ages 8 and 16, and academies are graded Category 1 to 4.
- Earn a two-year scholarship at 16, which combines full-time training with education such as a BTEC or A levels.
- Win a professional contract at 18 - only a minority of scholars do, so keep your education going.
- If you are released, use exit trials, non-league football, college and university programmes, or football abroad to keep playing at a good level.
- Build a back-up plan: coaching badges, sports science or a trade keep football-related options open.
| Route | How long | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club academy, then scholarship at 16 | Ages 8-18 | Free to the player | Young players spotted by scouts |
| Trials and exit trials after release | Ongoing | Usually free; some showcase events charge | Released scholars and late developers |
| Non-league to Football League | Several seasons | Part-time contracts alongside work | Players developing physically later |
| College and university football programmes | 2-4 years | Course fees | Players combining education and high-level football |
How long it takes
For most professionals the journey runs from academy entry before their teens to a first professional contract at 17-18. Late developers do break through from non-league in their 20s, but it is less common.
Professional Footballer salary in the UK
Our career data puts pay at around £18,000 to £40,000 in the lower leagues, £60,000 to £200,000 for established players at higher levels, and £500,000 to £15 million or more in the top flight. Pay depends almost entirely on the division and the club, and many non-league players are part-time, combining football with another job. Careers are short, so most players need a plan for life after playing.
Is professional footballer a good career?
Professional football is a dream job for many, but it is one of the hardest careers to enter and one of the shortest to stay in. Injuries, release from academies and short contracts are common. If you are serious about it, play at the highest level you can, look after your education alongside football, and keep football-related options open, such as coaching, sports science or sports therapy.
Key skills
- Talent
- Discipline
- Mental resilience
- Teamwork
Professional Footballer FAQs
How do you become a professional footballer in the UK?
Most professionals join a club academy as children, earn a two-year scholarship at 16 and win a professional contract at 17 or 18. Players who are released can keep going through trials, non-league football and college or university football programmes.
How long does it take to become a professional footballer?
For most players it takes around ten years, from joining an academy before their teens to a first professional contract at 17 or 18. Late developers sometimes break through from non-league in their twenties, but it is less common.
What qualifications do you need to be a professional footballer?
None. Clubs sign players on ability and potential, not exam results. Scholars study a course such as a BTEC alongside training, and keeping up your education matters because most academy players do not get a professional contract.
How much does a professional footballer make in the UK?
It varies enormously by league. Our career data puts lower-league pay at around £18,000 to £40,000, established players at higher levels at £60,000 to £200,000, and top-flight players at £500,000 or more.
Can you become a professional footballer at 18 or older?
It is possible but harder. Players who develop late can be signed from non-league football or after trials, so play at the highest level you can, train consistently and get footage of your games for scouts and clubs.
Is Professional Footballer right for you?
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Still deciding whether professional footballer is the career for you? Here is which career test is actually worth taking, and what a free quiz will not tell you.