What Was an RTC?
RTC stands for Regional Talent Centre. For many years, RTCs were the main entry point into the FA's talent identification and development system for girls.
The FA described the outgoing pathway as 28 RTCs and 10 ACCs, although earlier Premier League wording referred to 29 Regional Talent Clubs. Together, these centres provided structured coaching for girls showing potential, typically from around age nine or ten upwards.
RTCs were run in partnership with county FAs and professional clubs, and players were scouted or invited to attend based on ability. The sessions were designed to complement, rather than replace, a player's grassroots club football.
For a long time, getting a place at an RTC was seen as an important first step for girls who wanted to develop within a structured environment. It gave talented players access to better coaching, higher-quality training and a route towards the more elite parts of the game.
Why RTCs Were Replaced
By 2022, the FA concluded that the existing RTC and ACC structure had significant limitations.
The core problem was access. With only 28 RTCs across England, many talented girls simply could not get to a centre without travelling long distances. The system was identifying players from areas near existing centres reasonably well, but missing out on talent in areas that were harder to reach.
There were also concerns about the number of players the pathway was actually engaging. At the time of the restructure, the combined RTC and ACC system was working with around 1,722 players nationally. The FA judged this to be far too narrow a base, both in terms of talent identification and in terms of providing development opportunities more broadly.
The 2022 Euros, which England won, created a significant surge in girls wanting to play football. The pathway reform coincided with the post-Euros surge in interest and aligned with the FA’s wider Inspiring Positive Change strategy.
The RTCs and ACCs were phased out and replaced by a new, much larger network starting from July 2022.
What Replaced RTCs: The Current Pathway
The current FA women's and girls' talent pathway has three main components:
Emerging Talent Centres (ETCs): The main entry point for talented players aged 8 to 16. Funded by the FA and supported by Premier League investment. Parents/coaches may be able to refer players through FA talent ID routes not just ETC invitation. Since RTCs have now been replaced, most talented young players entering the pathway today will do so through Emerging Talent Centres (ETCs).
Club Funded Programmes: Development programmes run by individual clubs using their own funding and philosophy. These sit outside the formal FA-funded pathway but operate within its broader framework.
Professional Game Academies (PGAs): Higher-level programmes run by Women's Super League and Women's Championship clubs, focusing on player development between the ages of 14 and 20. PGAs replaced the previous FA WSL Academy structure.
Emerging Talent Centres (ETCs) Explained
ETCs are now the main structured entry point into the FA's talent pathway for girls. They replaced both the RTCs and the ACCs in one go, with a focus on being far more geographically accessible than what existed before.
The network has expanded to around 72-73 ETCs across the country, compared to the 38 centres (RTCs and ACCs combined) that previously existed. The aim was for 95 per cent of players to be within an hour's travel of a centre.
Key points for parents to understand:
- ETCs cater for players aged 8 to 16 who show footballing potential
- They are co-funded by the FA and the Premier League
- Many centres are now free, and FA/Premier League sources state ETCs are intended to be free from 2025-26
- Players can attend an ETC while still playing for their grassroots club, school or representative team. The ETC is designed to add to their football experience, not replace it
- ETCs focus on technical development, varied football formats and quality coaching
The coaching staff numbers increased significantly with the new structure. ETCs operate with around 560 technical staff across the network, compared to approximately 350 under the previous system.
It is worth knowing that ETCs are not academies in the traditional sense. They do not sign players to professional contracts or restrict where else they play. Think of them more as high-quality development programmes for talented girls at a relatively young age.
Professional Game Academies (PGAs) Explained
PGAs sit at the top of the girls' pathway within club football. They are run by clubs in the Women's Super League and Women's Championship and focus on the older end of the development age range.
PGAs replaced the previous FA WSL Academy structure and are intended to develop players between the ages of 14 and 20 for senior women's football at domestic and international level.
Funding for PGAs comes from both the FA and the clubs themselves, meaning WSL and Championship clubs have genuine investment in these programmes and can shape their own philosophy and structure to some degree.
For parents of younger girls, PGAs are likely to become relevant once a player is in her mid-teens and is showing the kind of ability and progress that might attract interest from professional clubs. Getting into an ETC does not automatically lead to a PGA. These are separate conversations at different stages of development.
How the Pathway Fits Together
It helps to think of the pathway in stages rather than as a single linear route:
Stage 1: Grassroots and enjoyment
Girls play for fun, develop skills, and build their love of the game. Most players stay at this level throughout their football journey, which is entirely positive.
Stage 2: Emerging Talent Centres (ETCs)
For players aged 8 to 16 who show potential and are identified for additional structured development. Players can still play grassroots football alongside attending an ETC.
Stage 3: Professional Game Academies (PGAs)
Run by WSL and Women's Championship clubs for players aged 14 to 20. Focused on preparing players for senior professional football.
The pathway is not a guaranteed escalator. Being in an ETC does not mean a player will progress to a PGA or professional football. Many talented players develop through ETCs without ever entering the professional game, and that is not a failure. The pathway is about providing better coaching and development opportunities at each stage, not promising elite outcomes.
What This Means for Your Daughter
If your daughter has recently been invited to an ETC, or you are wondering whether to pursue ETC involvement, here are the practical things to keep in mind.
An invitation to an ETC is a positive recognition of talent. It means a coach or scout has identified something worth developing. That is worth acknowledging without putting excessive pressure on what comes next.
ETC participation should support, not dominate. The FA's intention is that ETC players continue playing for their grassroots club and school teams. If an ETC is asking your daughter to drop all other football, it is worth clarifying that arrangement carefully.
The cost is capped. ETCs are designed to be accessible. The FA and Premier League have expanded funding significantly, with many ETCs now operating free of charge and the long-term aim being a fully free national network. If you are considering an ETC, check directly with the provider about any costs, bursaries or financial support available.
It is a long pathway. Girls develop at very different rates, and the pathway is designed with that in mind. Early involvement in an ETC at age 9 or 10 does not predict where a player will be at 16. Late developers absolutely do find pathways into the game at older ages as children mature at different ages.
Keep enjoyment at the centre. Research into player development consistently highlights intrinsic motivation and enjoyment as key factors in long-term development. If your daughter stops enjoying football because of the pressure of a pathway programme, that matters more than any selection outcome.
Still Hearing the Term RTC?
Parents, coaches and even some clubs still use the term RTC out of habit. If someone asks whether your daughter is "at an RTC" or recommends you "try to get her into an RTC," they almost certainly mean an ETC under the current system.
It is also worth being alert to programmes that still describe themselves as RTCs for marketing purposes. The FA's official talent pathway uses ETCs and PGAs. If a programme is calling itself an RTC, it is either using outdated language or it is not part of the official FA-recognised pathway.
The best starting point is always the FA's own resources and the England Football website, which lists recognised ETCs by area. If you have questions about a specific programme, asking the organisers directly whether they are an officially recognised FA ETC is a reasonable and sensible question.
The change from RTCs to ETCs reflects a genuine shift in how the FA thinks about girls' talent development: broader reach, lower barriers, and more players in quality environments. For parents navigating this for the first time, understanding the current terminology helps you ask better questions and make more informed decisions about your daughter's football journey.
Sources
-The FA: Women's and Girls' Talent Pathway Reform
Overview of the FA's restructuring of the girls' talent pathway and the move away from RTCs.
-England Football: Women's Talent Pathway
Official information on the current England Football women's and girls' talent pathway.
-England Football: Emerging Talent Centres
Details on the purpose, structure and role of Emerging Talent Centres (ETCs).
-England Football: Professional Game Academies
Information on Professional Game Academies (PGAs) and the elite female player pathway.
-The FA: Inspiring Positive Change Strategy Progress Update
Update on the FA's wider strategy for growing and improving the women's and girls' game.
-England Football: Reflecting on the Early Success of Emerging Talent Centres
England Football's review of the early impact and outcomes of the ETC programme.
