Guide
Liverpool Amateur Football Leagues: How to Join
Find amateur football in Liverpool by age, playing day and level, with current league links and practical steps for joining a club or entering a team.
Liverpool has Saturday, Sunday, youth, women's, veterans and disability football. Players normally join a club, then the club registers them with its league.
League names, divisions and vacancies can change between seasons. The links below went to active league or governing-body pages when checked in July 2026, but you should confirm the new season before paying fees.
The short version
- Choose your playing day, age group and travel area before contacting clubs.
- Use current FA Full-Time tables to find teams near you.
- Ask for a training session before paying annual or match fees.
- New teams need league approval as well as County FA affiliation.
Liverpool leagues at a glance
| Competition | Typical players | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool Premier League | Adult and development teams | League website |
| Liverpool Football League | Adult Saturday teams | FA Full-Time |
| Merseyrail Business Houses Football League | Adult Sunday teams | FA Full-Time |
| South Lancashire Counties Football League | Adult Sunday teams across a wider area | FA Full-Time |
| Merseyside Youth Football League | Junior and youth teams | League website |
| Liverpool Women's and Youth Football League | Women's and selected youth teams | FA Full-Time |
| I Zingari Veterans League | Veterans teams | Liverpool FA |
| Ability Counts | Disabled junior and adult players | Liverpool FA |
This is a practical starting list, not a claim that every team in Liverpool plays in one of these competitions. Futsal, small-sided, university, walking-football and informal leagues use separate systems.
Adult Saturday football
Liverpool Premier League
The Liverpool Premier League includes established adult, reserve and development sides. Use its current club and contact pages to judge the travel area and playing standard.
A player should contact a club, not ask the league to assign a team. A new club needs a suitable pitch, officials, volunteers and enough registered players to complete the season.
Liverpool Football League
The Liverpool Football League's FA Full-Time page shows current divisions, teams, results and league contacts. That is more reliable than a fixed team count copied into an article before the next season starts.
Check which division a club enters and where it trains. Two teams with Liverpool in the name can play and train miles apart.
Adult Sunday football
The Merseyrail Business Houses Football League provides Sunday competition. The historical name does not mean a modern team must represent a workplace.
The South Lancashire Counties Football League covers a wider area. Check the current club list before joining because travel can extend beyond Liverpool.
Youth football
The Merseyside Youth Football League publishes current age groups, teams and contacts. Parents usually approach a club for the correct school-year team rather than registering a child with the league.
Ask where training takes place, which day matches use and how much travel the division involves. Youth formats change with age under FA rules, so confirm the current format with the club.
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Women's and girls' football
The Liverpool Women's and Youth Football League carries current competition information on FA Full-Time. Beginners can also use the England Football club finder to look for recreational sessions and development teams.
Ask whether a club is recruiting for open-age, development or youth squads. A club may run several teams with different training times and entry standards.
Veterans and disability football
Liverpool FA lists I Zingari veterans football for older players. Confirm the age rule with the league because eligibility can differ between divisions.
The Liverpool FA disability pathway explains Ability Counts provision and how players are grouped. Contact the County FA for the current clubs, age bands and fixture arrangements.
How to join a team
- Choose Saturday, Sunday, youth, women's, veterans or disability football.
- Open the current league table or England Football club finder.
- Shortlist clubs near your home, work or transport route.
- Contact the club secretary or team manager.
- Ask to attend training before paying.
Ask about training, match travel, squad vacancies, registration, insurance, kit and all fees. For a child, also confirm safeguarding contacts and who holds the club welfare role.
How to enter a new team
Contact the proposed league before spending money on kit or a pitch. The league must have space and may need to assess the team's standard, ground and administration.
The Liverpool FA guide to starting a club covers affiliation, insurance and club roles. Youth teams also need safeguarding arrangements and qualified welfare staff.
Start with the current league contacts, then confirm the application deadline and total season cost in writing.
If football is part of a visit rather than a season, use our Anfield matchday guide and Anfield food guide.
Useful links and sources
- Liverpool Premier League
- Liverpool Football League on FA Full-Time
- Merseyrail Business Houses Football League on FA Full-Time
- South Lancashire Counties Football League on FA Full-Time
- Merseyside Youth Football League
- Liverpool Women's and Youth Football League on FA Full-Time
- Liverpool FA: veterans football
- Liverpool FA: disability football
- Liverpool FA: starting a club