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

How to make payments to the league

Please DO NOT send cash in the post

The most regular payment we deal with are for transfers.  Please reference the club and player name if possible when paying by BACS and please provide confirmation of payment to the registration secretary andrewpurslow@worcesterleague.com

Payment Options:

Bank (BACS) Transfer:

Transfer money online or through your local bank into the League bank account - details as follows:

Worcester and District Football League

Sort Code 30-99-90

Account No. 00701578

PLEASE ENSURE: Provide a reference of at least your Clubs Name

SumUp:

We can provide you with a SumUp electronic payment link on request. This will allow you to pay securely by card as you would do for any website purchase.

Please contact Wayne Hanson and the link can be shared via email or IM

Cheques:

These should be made payable to: Worcester and District Football League - Please send to the league treasurers Steve Harness, whose contact details can be in the League Officers Directory

League fee payment options:

Annual league fees can be paid in two instalments.  The first instalment is due at the end of September and the second at the end of November.  Clubs with three or more teams can make at third instalment at the end of January.

Please contact the league treasurer to setup.

It’s that time of year where clubs have begun requesting closed dates with less than 4 weeks’ notice, due to Xmas parties etc. Given this is probably the first time in 3 years most people will be having a Xmas party and that not many clubs have already closed dates, the league are going to allow short notice closures, for league fixtures only in December without being fined.  We need the cup fixtures played this weekend and failure to fulfil would be awarded as a walkover to the opposition.

You may want to consider closing the 11th December because if England progress, their next game is Saturday 10th 7pm KO.

If you would like to close one of the December dates, then please let me and the fixtures secretary (Mike Shipley) know by 7pm on Sunday evening. Thereafter normal rules will apply and you face a £100 fine for failing fulfil as per league rules.

 Dates 4^th, 11^th and 18^th December,

If your club/team already has no game on one of these dates, then also confirm to keep it that way, as come Sunday we will shuffle the pack and you may get a game.

W Hanson - League Sec

UPDATE 22/08/2022

The following teams are actively looking for new players for the upcoming season that starts on the 4th September.

Ravenhill FC (Div 3 - Malvern Vale Community Centre, Malvern) contact Joshua 07949 345752

Eaton FC (Div 1 - KGV Brickfields, Worcester) contact Ollie 07366 306191 or Dave 07943 382443

Powick FC ( Premier Div - Hospital Lane, Powick) contact Leon 07368 210039 or Stu 07528 541266

Powick Old Boys (Div 2 - Hospital Lane, Powick) contact Leon 07368 210039 or Zil 07976 847118

New Inn Claines (Premier Div - Cornmeadow Lane, Worcester) contact Jake 07850 082737

Clubs please contact the league secretary if you wish to advertise here

KICK-OFF TIMES

SATURDAY LEAGUE was suspended from season 2013/14

SUNDAY LEAGUE AND SUNDAY INTERNAL CUPS

Throughout the Season: 1030HRS

CLAINES LANE 3G ko Times are staggered 0930 / 1130HRS 

Appropriate footwear must be worn by ANYONE entering the pitch. Check with the home team, but Metal Studs, Blades and flat soled shoes such as trainers and traditional Astro Turf boots are NOT permitted.

Note: No Extra time and straight to penalties (excluding group stages)

REFEREE PAYMENT

REFEREES AND ASSISTANTS (IF APPOINTED) MUST BE PAID BEFORE KICK-OFF (2022-23 RULE CHANGE)

REFEREE FEE IS £30. 

The exception to the £30.00 are games where the referees overall mileage is in excess of 20 miles when the referees fee will be £35.00

ASSISTANT FEE IS £25

MATCH RESULT REPORTING

HOME TEAMS TO REPLY TO THE RESULTS SMS BY 5PM ON SUNDAY / 10PM FOR MIDWEEK GAMES

TEAM SHEETS AND REFEREE MARK REPORTING

TO BE ENTERED ONLINE IN THE FA FULLTIME SYSTEM OR VIA THE FA MATCHDAY MOBILE APP BY 5PM ON THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY

Local football has lost a legend with regard to the passing away of  Dick Widdowson. Dick was involved in the start up  and running of Archdales FC in the early seventies and continued to be involved both as secretary and best supporter for many years.Archdales ran both Saturday and Sunday teams and became a local force on both days.Originally they were based at the old Archdales club before moving up to Claines Lane where they had a lease for ten years paid for by Sainsbury’s who were interested in moving onto Archdales land.Dick without hesitation put all his efforts and time into making Claines Lane a good new home for the Dales and local football in general.The main pavillion and the pitches had never looked so good.

Dick also served on the Nursing Cup Committee for many years and was always available at the finals arranging the presentations and in some cases making the awards himself.

Dick was Archdales through and through and could always be found supporting them both home and away.On Sunday mornings Dick could always be found up on the firsrt floor of Archdales in the club room setting out his place in front of one of the only working  radiators to watch the game through the window keeping himself warm into the bargain.

The Referees changing room was also on the same floor and you had to go through the club room to access it. Dick would always ensure the room was ready and the shower was working and no other members were allowed to make any comments towards the referee in his passage through the club room following the game.He would remain in the clubroom until the referee was ready to leave and then invite the Ref down into the bar for a beer regardless of the refs performance.

The club in the early days was also a base for all the referees locally who would call back to the club for a beer following their games and always be made welcome by Dick who used to enquire  how they had got on in their games.He would always come over to me and let me know how the Referee had performed in the Archdales game and he did not pull any punches if he had any comments to make although always fair in his appraisal.

On one particular Sunday when I was watching the game Archdales had  a player sent off and Dick found me and asked me about the incident to which I advised casually that maybe a yellow card earlier would have prevented the red.

I thought no more about the incident until in the week when I received correspondence from the Worcester FA where Dick had advised the FA that I had been officially accessing at the game and I had stated that it was not a red card.This was Dick trying to support his player and his team and using all means to achieve it.I had to advise the FA that what Dick had reported was not accurate and learnt my own lessson not to comment about referees especially if Dick was in ear shot.When I next saw him and questioned him about the incident he smiled and shrugged it off  saying “it was worth a try”

Dick was a character in both football circles,cricket, horse racing and even at work.Dick finished his working life as part of the maintenance team up at the new Hindlip polce headquarters and I was involved in commissioning the heating system working with Dick and his colleagues.One morning I received a call from the property manager advising that the heating had not come on and Dick had reported to the property manager that it was the “Muffler Valve” that had failed.I had no idea  or knowledge what this was and was querious myself however on arriving on site discovered that the heating time clock had been left turned off and on questioning Dick about the Muffler Valve he advised that it would keep them all happy and was a good technical term that they wouldn’t understand.I recall that over the next few months the heating failed for various other reasons but it was always the fault of the “Muffler Valve” when Dick reported it taking the pressure of himself and his team

The Worcester League offers their condolences to Dick’s family and he will be greatly missed by  his  family and all who new him but will never be forgotten when it comes to Local Football and Archdales FC.Rest in peace Dick

Jeff Widdett Worcester League Referee’s Appointment Officer

Tonights club delegates meeting has been postponed due to the current flooding and road closures.

A new date will be scheduled in ASP

Wayne Hanson

https://www.facebook.com/worleague/

Whole Game Sytsem Registration Guide

Registration Detail Collection Form

SMS Reporting Guide

FT Team Sheet Guidance

Thank you to all those who took the time to participate in this survey.

A total of 15 questions were asked and 324 responses were received from 53 teams.

The results of the survey will be analysed and discussed at our next Management Committee meeting. Any agreed recommendations for the future, will be notified to you all in due course.

Click here to see the results