You’ve just been elected club secretary. Congratulations! Your reward? Navigating the FA’s Whole Game System.

If you’re reading this, you probably have questions: What even IS Whole Game System? How do I register players? Why won’t it let me submit my team sheet? And why does this feel more complicated than it needs to be?

You’re not alone. WGS is mandatory for all grassroots football in England, but it’s not exactly intuitive. This guide breaks it down into plain English and gives you the answers you need.

What is the FA Whole Game System (WGS)?

WGS is the FA’s central database for everything grassroots football in England. Think of it as the administrative backbone of the game.

It handles:

• Player registration (everyone from U6 to adult)
• Coach and official registration
• Club affiliation (your license to operate)
• Team sheet creation
• Match result submission
• League management
• Disciplinary records

Why does it exist?

Before WGS (launched 2014), everything was paper-based chaos. County FAs had different systems. Transferring players between leagues was a nightmare. Disciplinary records were lost. Insurance coverage was unclear.

WGS centralized everything. Now:

• Every player has one record across all levels
• Insurance is automatic when affiliated
• Transfers are tracked electronically
• Safeguarding checks are logged
• Match records are permanent

It’s not perfect, but it’s miles better than what came before.

Who Needs to Use WGS?

Club Secretaries

You’re the main user. You’ll handle:

• Annual club affiliation
• Player registrations
• Team submissions
• Paying fees
• Managing club records

Team Managers

You’ll use WGS for:

• Creating match-day team sheets
• Checking player eligibility
• Submitting match results
• Viewing league tables

Coaches

Limited use, mainly:

• Updating your coaching qualifications
• Viewing your linked teams
• Checking player registration status

Parents

Parents can view (but not edit):

• Their child’s registration status
• Match history
• Team information

League Administrators

They manage league-level data, but you won’t interact with this unless you run a league.

Creating Your WGS Account

First time setup takes about 10 minutes:

Step 1: Go to Whole Game System

Visit: wholegame.thefa.com

Step 2: Click “Register”

You’ll need:

• Email address (use one you check regularly)
• Mobile number (for 2FA verification)
• Password (strong one – you’ll use this a lot)

Step 3: Verify Email

Check your inbox. Click the verification link. If you don’t see it, check spam.

Step 4: Link to Your Club

Search for your club by name or affiliation number. If your club doesn’t appear, contact your County FA.

Common issue: “I can’t find my club”

Solution: Your club might not be affiliated yet, or it’s under a different name. Try:

• Different spellings (“Rovers” vs “Rovers FC”)
• Looking for the parent club name
• Searching by postcode
• Contacting your County FA with club details

Step 5: Set Your Role

You’ll be asked what role you have. Select carefully:

• Club Secretary: Full admin access
• Team Manager: Team-level access
• Coach: View-only for your teams

Note: Club secretary must approve your access before you can do anything meaningful.

Registering Players in WGS

This is your most common task. Here’s how it works:

New Player Registration Process

Documents required:

• Birth certificate OR passport (proof of age)
• Proof of address (utility bill, council tax, bank statement)
• Photo ID for player (school photo is fine)
• Parent email address
• Emergency contact details

Step-by-step:

1. Log into WGS
2. Go to: My Club → Players → Register New Player
3. Enter player details (name, DOB, address)
4. Upload documents (PDF or photo)
5. Assign to team
6. Pay registration fee (£5-12 depending on age)
7. Submit

Processing time: Usually 24-48 hours. County FA reviews documents and approves.

What happens next:

• You get email confirmation
• Player appears in your team list
• Player is insured and eligible to play
• Parent gets email with access to view player info

Player Transfers Between Clubs

If a player moves to your club from another club:

You need:

• Signed FA transfer form (download from WGS)
• Previous club must release player via WGS
• Registration fee

Process:

1. Go to: Players → Transfer Player In
2. Search for player by name or FAN (FA Number)
3. Submit transfer request
4. Wait for previous club to approve
5. Once approved, pay fee and assign to team

Important: Players can’t be registered to two clubs simultaneously. Old club MUST release them first.

Transfer windows: Most leagues have windows (e.g., September-October, January-February). Check your league rules.

Dual Registration Rules

Some players can be registered to TWO clubs under specific conditions:

• Playing at different age groups (e.g., U11 at grassroots, U12 at academy)
• Different levels (recreational at one club, competitive at another)
• Both clubs must approve
• County FA must approve

This is complex – contact your County FA before attempting.

Registering U6-U7 Players (Simplified Process)

For youngest age groups, FA has a simplified registration:

• No proof of address required
• No photo ID needed
• Just birth certificate and parent consent
• Lower (or no) fee

Why? At U6-U7, it’s about fun and participation. Admin burden is reduced deliberately.

Managing Team Affiliations

Every team must affiliate annually. This is separate from player registration.

Annual Affiliation Renewal

When: Usually June-July for the upcoming season
Where: My Club → Teams → Affiliate Team
Cost: £50-100 per team (depends on age group and competition level)

What you need:

• Team name and age group
• League you’re entering
• Home ground details
• Club colours
• Manager details

Important deadlines:

• Most County FAs: 31st July
• Late affiliations possible but incur fees
• Miss deadline completely = you can’t play competitive football

What Affiliation Includes

When you affiliate a team, you get:

• FA insurance (£15m public liability)
• Access to leagues
• Match officials for competitive games
• County FA support
• Safeguarding framework

No affiliation = no insurance = massive liability = don’t do it.

Squad Lists and Team Sheets in WGS

Creating Match-Day Squads

Before the match:

1. Go to: My Team → Squad Selection
2. Select players from your registered list (max usually 16-18)
3. Verify all are eligible (registered, not suspended)
4. Save squad

Submitting Team Sheets

On match day:

1. Create team sheet in WGS Mobile App or website
2. Select starting XI + subs from your squad
3. Print or show digitally to opposition
4. Get opposition signature (or digital confirmation)

What if I forget to create a team sheet?

Technically, you can face sanctions. In practice, most leagues are lenient if:

• You do it immediately after the match
• All players were registered
• It’s not a repeated issue

Tip: Create team sheets 24 hours before matches. Saves match-day stress.

Common Team Sheet Errors

• “Player not eligible”: Check they’re registered to YOUR club, not suspended
• “Too many players”: League rules limit squad size (check your competition rules)
• “Player already used”: Some leagues restrict cup-tied players

Recording Match Results

After the match, someone needs to submit the result:

How to Input Scores

1. Go to: My Team → Fixtures → Select Match
2. Click “Enter Result”
3. Input score (home score, away score)
4. Confirm scorers (optional but recommended)
5. Note any disciplinary issues
6. Submit

Who submits? Usually home team, but check league rules.

Deadline: Most leagues require submission within 48 hours.

What Happens to Results

• League table updates automatically
• Goal scorers recorded
• Player appearances logged (important for end-of-season stats)
• Opposition can view and confirm/dispute

Result Disputes

If there’s disagreement on the score:

1. Referee’s match card is definitive
2. Contact league secretary immediately
3. Provide match sheet + referee details
4. League will investigate and amend if needed

WGS Common Problems and Solutions

Problem: “Player Not Found” Error

Causes:

• Player never registered with FA (no FAN number)
• Name spelling mismatch
• Registered at different club
• Registration pending approval

Solutions:

• Search by FAN number instead of name
• Check spelling matches birth certificate exactly
• Contact County FA to trace player
• If new player, complete registration first

Problem: Affiliation Rejected

Common rejection reasons:

• Outstanding fees from previous season
• Missing DBS checks for coaches
• Safeguarding course not completed
• No insurance certificate uploaded
• League not recognized by County FA

Resolution:

1. Check rejection email (details provided)
2. Rectify the issue
3. Re-submit application
4. Contact County FA if unclear

Problem: Payment Failed

Causes:

• Insufficient funds
• Card expired
• Bank declined transaction
• Payment timeout

Solutions:

• Use different card
• Try smaller browser window (sometimes payment popup gets blocked)
• Clear browser cache
• Contact County FA for manual payment options

WGS Alternatives and Integrations

Does WGS Integrate with Team Apps?

Not directly. WGS handles official registration and league admin. Team management apps (like Ballrz, Spond, etc.) handle day-to-day operations.

The relationship:

• WGS = Legal registration, insurance, league compliance
• Team apps = Communication, scheduling, payment collection, training plans

They serve different purposes.

Can I Export Data from WGS?

Yes. You can export:

• Player lists (CSV format)
• Match results
• Fixture lists
• Team sheets

This is useful for:

• Sharing rosters with coaches
• Creating programs or team sheets
• End-of-season reports

WGS Mobile App vs Website

Mobile App (iOS and Android):

Good for:

• Creating team sheets on match day
• Submitting results quickly
• Checking player eligibility
• Viewing fixtures

Limitations:

• Can’t register new players
• Can’t affiliate teams
• Limited admin functions

Website:

Good for:

• Everything the app does, plus:
• Player registration
• Team affiliation
• Payment processing
• Bulk operations
• Detailed reports

Recommendation: Use website for setup and admin. Use app on match days.

Data Protection and WGS

GDPR Compliance

WGS is GDPR-compliant. Player data is:

• Stored securely on FA servers
• Only accessible to authorized club officials
• Not shared with third parties without consent
• Retained for legitimate football administration only

Who Sees Player Data

• Club officials: Full access to your club’s players
• League administrators: Match-day data only
• County FA: Registration and disciplinary data
• Other clubs: Nothing (unless player transfers)

Parent Access Rights

Parents can:

• View their child’s registration
• Request data export
• Request data deletion (with caveats – FA must retain some for safeguarding)

Data Retention

• Active player data: Retained while registered
• Historical data: 6 years after leaving (legal requirement)
• Disciplinary records: Permanent

Future of WGS

The FA continues developing WGS with planned improvements:

• Better mobile app functionality
• Integration with league management systems
• Improved user interface (it’s… not great currently)
• Digital team sheets (QR code verification)
• Enhanced parent portal

Get Help with WGS

If you’re stuck:

1. WGS Help Center: wholegame.thefa.com/help
2. Your County FA: They support WGS users. Find yours: thefa.com/about-football-association/contact-us
3. Email support: wholegamesupport@thefa.com
4. Phone: 0800 169 1863 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)

The Bottom Line

WGS isn’t perfect. It’s clunky. It’s not intuitive. But it’s mandatory, and it does serve an important purpose: ensuring everyone playing grassroots football is registered, insured, and playing fairly.

Once you understand the basics, it becomes routine. Registration takes 10 minutes. Team sheets take 2 minutes. Results take 30 seconds.

Yes, you’d rather be coaching. But this administrative backbone keeps the game safe and organized. And that matters.

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Want to reduce other admin headaches? While WGS handles registration, Ballrz handles everything else: team communication, payment collection, training plans, and player development tracking.

Get started at ballrz.app