FUFA has officially set the countdown to the 2026/27 season in motion after releasing the club licensing roadmap for teams competing in the FUFA Big League, FUFA Women Super League and FUFA Women Elite League.
The roadmap, unveiled on Friday, outlines the key deadlines clubs must meet before being cleared to participate, with league fixtures for all three competitions set to be released on August 24.
The FUFA Women Super League will be the first competition to kick off on September 12, followed by the FUFA Big League on September 20. The FUFA Women Elite League will get underway a week later on September 26.
Clubs hoping to feature in the new season must first complete the licensing process, which began on June 22 with the release of the licensing guidelines and regulations.
The primary registration window opens on July 1, the same day FUFA Big League clubs will hold their pre-season workshop. Women’s clubs in the Super League and Elite League will have their workshop on July 8.
By July 10, clubs are required to submit expressions of interest to participate in their respective leagues, while submission of licensing documents will also begin on the same date.
FUFA will conduct physical inspections of clubs between August 1 and 10 to assess compliance with the required standards.
Big League and Women Super League clubs must submit all licensing documents by August 10, including having at least 10 approved players on the system, two of whom must be goalkeepers. Women Elite League clubs have until August 15 to meet the same requirement.
The First Instance Body will review all submissions on August 17 and 18, while any appeals will be heard on August 21.
Clubs that satisfy all licensing requirements will receive their licences on August 24, clearing them to compete in the 2026/27 season. FUFA will also release the fixtures for all leagues on the same day.
Among the documents released are the Men’s and Women’s Club Licensing Regulations, the Stadium Classification Regulations and the club licensing forms for the upcoming season.
