New clubs and teams for Season 2025/26

McDonald’s Worcester and District Football League: 2025/26 Applications Now Open!

The McDonald’s Worcester and District Football League is now accepting applications for the 2025/26 season! If you’re interested in joining a competitive and well-organised league, please complete the online application form here.

As part of the application process, you will need to provide details of your key club committee members. Further information, such as your pitch location and kit colours, will be collected upon successful acceptance into the league.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Wayne Hanson League Secretary

How Much Does It Cost?

Due to COVID-19, league fees were subsidised for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. Since then, fees have gradually increased but have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. No decision has been made on the league fees (Annual Subscription) for 2025/26, but for the 2024/25 season, the fee was £75 per team.

Below is a breakdown of the typical costs associated with participating in the league:

County FA Affiliation

Before competing, clubs must affiliate with a County FA. Most teams in our league affiliate with Worcestershire FA, though Colwall St James FC affiliates with Herefordshire FA.

Affiliation is an annual requirement, usually completed by the end of June. The County FA affiliation fee for the 2024/25 season, including the minimum mandatory player insurance, was approximately £156.

Worcester League Fees

Club Deposit (One-Off Payment)

• New clubs must pay a £100 deposit.
• Additional teams (e.g. reserve teams) require a £50 deposit each.
• This deposit is held until the club withdraws from the competition and does not need to be paid annually.

League Subscription (Annual) - Typically at least £134*

League fees are divided into three parts:

• Club/Team Annual Subscription: £65*
• League Insurance: £9
• Club Monthly Draw Fee: £60

*Since the FA introduced mandatory player insurance, the league has provided a £50 cashback against the annual subscription. Post-COVID, fees were heavily reduced (with the league even covering WFA affiliation in 2020/21). The cost per team was £50 for the 2022/23 season and has gradually increased, reaching £75 for 2024/25.

To ease financial pressure during the busy pre-season period, the Worcester League collects fees at the end of September, after a full month of fixtures. Additionally, fees can be paid in two instalments. However, new club deposits must be paid by August.

Pitches

It is the club's responsibility to provide a suitable venue for fixtures. However, the Worcester League assists clubs that require a Worcester City Council pitch. The league also control the allocation of the WFA and Perdiswell 3G pitches.

• Pitch fees vary, but a typical grass pitch with changing rooms costs approximately £50 per game.
• The cost of a 3G pitch can be significantly higher.

More details on Worcester City Council pitches can be found here.

Referees

The home team is responsible for paying the matchday referee. The current referee fee is:

• £35 per match
• £40 if the referee’s round trip exceeds 20 miles

Please note that fees for other external competitions, such as the WFA County Cup, may differ.

Useful Links

• Setting Up a Club?
• Worcester League Rules
• Information for Club Secretaries