Football West to revamp regional player development

Football West News 1766449677,1766451404

The Football West Academy is revamping its regional player development program for 2026.

A new State Carnival will replace the traditional Country Camp, focusing on real-match conditions instead of purely training-based sessions.

This will enable players to showcase their technical and tactical skills in competitive environments while providing coaches with meaningful insights for talent identification and player progression.

The Football West Regional Academies will provide weekly sessions to help players and coaches develop, including select trips to Perth for match experience.

Young male and female players will gain meaningful opportunities to showcase skills, be assessed by Football West Academy coaches and progress along the elite pathway.

The academies will be hosted in the following regions:

South West
Goldfields
Great Southern
Mid West/Gascoyne
Pilbara
Kimberley

Football West Football Development Manager Gareth Naven said: “We are evolving our regional player development by bringing in real-match scenarios which allow us to assess technique and tactics.

“There will be a structured calendar of events, with Regional and State Carnivals.

“The new set-up will show a clear progression from regional clubs to state and eventually national teams.”

Football West Regional Academies

Age groups: Boys & girls U13–U16
Sessions: 1 per week, 75–90 mins
Coaches: Football West-appointed Regional Academy Coach
Focus areas: Technical excellence, tactical understanding, game awareness, growth, mindset

Key dates