Safety guide
Concussion return to play in grassroots football
If in doubt, sit them out. This guide sets out what The FA and the UK grassroots concussion guidance say happens next, step by step, in plain English.
The FA’s Concussion Guidelines were updated in August 2023. For grassroots clubs without a suitably trained healthcare professional looking after players, they point to the UK Concussion Guidelines for Non-Elite (Grassroots) Sport The FA Concussion Guidelines 2023. Those UK guidelines were updated in November 2024 and include a Graduated Return to Activity and Sport, known as GRAS UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024. This guide summarises both. It isn’t medical advice: read the official documents and speak to a healthcare professional.
On the pitch: if in doubt, sit them out
Concussion can follow a clash of heads, an elbow, a fall or a ball to the head. Signs include headache, dizziness, feeling dazed or “not right”, confusion, blurred vision, nausea, poor balance, unusual emotions or behaviour, and memory problems. You don’t have to be knocked out to have a concussion, and symptoms can appear hours later.
If concussion is possible, the player comes off and doesn’t return to play, training or any exercise that day The FA Concussion Guidelines 2023. Not after a sponge and a minute on the touchline. Not because it’s a cup game.
Red flags: call 999
Call 999 or go to A&E straight away if any of these appear UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024:
Any loss of consciousness; getting more drowsy; memory loss before or after the injury; increasing confusion or irritability; an unusual change in behaviour; new problems with speech, understanding, feeling, balance, weakness or double vision; a seizure, twitching or lying rigid; a severe or worsening headache; repeated vomiting; severe neck pain; a possible skull fracture (a cut, bruise, swelling or severe pain at the injury site); previous brain surgery or a bleeding disorder; taking blood thinners; being drunk or under the influence of drugs.
The first 24 hours
- Get assessed within 24 hours, by an onsite healthcare professional or by calling NHS 111.
- Don’t stay alone.
- Don’t drive, cycle, operate machinery or drink alcohol. Commercial drivers need a healthcare professional’s review before driving.
- No training, matches or exercise.
These steps come from the UK grassroots guidance UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024.
The graduated return, stage by stage
The day of the injury is day 0. Each stage lasts at least a day. You only move up if symptoms get no more than mildly worse; if they get more than mildly worse, drop back to the previous stage UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024.
| Stage | What it involves | Earliest |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Relative rest | Rest, minimal screen time, gentle daily activity | First 24–48 hours |
| 2. Daily activities | Normal daily activities and light physical activity such as walking | Often within week 1 |
| 3. Light aerobic exercise | Easy jogging, swimming or cycling; more mental activity | Often weeks 1–2 |
| 4. Non-contact training | Part-time return to work or study; non-contact training with no heading. Needs no symptoms at rest | Often week 2 |
| 5. Full training | Full work or study; full training, including contact and heading | Day 15, after 14 days without symptoms at rest |
| 6. Matches | Return to competition | Day 21 |
The day 15 and day 21 limits are minimums, not targets. Many people take longer, and that’s normal.
If symptoms don’t settle
- Symptoms getting worse, or not improving by day 14: call NHS 111.
- Symptoms still there after 28 days: see your GP UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024.
Young players
The same stages and minimum times apply to under-18s, but both The FA and the UK guidance note that children and young people may take longer to recover The FA Concussion Guidelines 2023 UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024. Young players should be fully back at school or college before returning to full training. Parents should make sure the child isn’t left alone for the first 24 hours, gets assessed within 24 hours, limits screens for the first day or two, and that the school knows.
Repeated concussions
If you’ve had two or more concussions in a year, speak to a doctor before going back to full training. Tell any healthcare professional about previous head injuries.
Who decides when you play again?
Not an app, a website or a teammate. The guidance gives minimum timings and stages; your healthcare professional and your club decide. Match Ready: Football follows these stages in its free head injury feature, locks training when you report a possible head injury, checks symptoms daily and never lets you skip a stage. At day 21 it tells you the earliest match date has been reached and to follow your club’s and healthcare professional’s advice. It never tells you you’re fit to play.
Heading
The app never programmes heading practice. The FA’s guidance for adult amateur football is at most one training session a week with heading practice, and up to 10 headers in that session FA heading guidance 2021.
Read The FA Concussion Guidelines and the UK grassroots concussion guidelines in full.
Frequently asked questions
How long after a concussion can I play football?
Under the UK grassroots guidance, matches are not before day 21 after the injury, full training not before day 15, and only after 14 days without symptoms at rest UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024. Many people take longer.
Do I need to see a doctor after a head injury in football?
Get assessed within 24 hours by NHS 111 or a healthcare professional. Call 999 straight away for any red flag such as worsening headache, repeated vomiting, a seizure or increasing confusion UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024.
Can I go back on if I feel fine after a head knock?
No. If concussion is possible, you don’t return to play that day. If in doubt, sit them out The FA Concussion Guidelines 2023.
Can I go to the gym with concussion?
Not in the first stages. Light aerobic exercise comes at stage 3, and non-contact training at stage 4 once you have no symptoms at rest UK grassroots concussion guidelines 2024.
References
Sources behind this guide, from the Match Ready: Football coaching rules. Each entry links to its DOI, PubMed record or official page. See the science for how we grade evidence.
- The Football Association. Concussion Guidelines, updated August 2023. For grassroots clubs without a trained healthcare professional, they point to the UK grassroots guidelines. Source
- Sport and Recreation Alliance and UK Government. Concussion Guidelines for Non-Elite (Grassroots) Sport, including the Graduated Return to Activity and Sport (GRAS). Updated November 2024. Source
- The Football Association. Adult amateur heading guidance, July 2021 (at most one session a week with heading practice, up to 10 headers in that session). Source
This guide is general training information, not medical advice. Under-18s should train under a qualified coach with a parent’s agreement. If you have pain, a health condition or a head injury, speak to a doctor, physio or NHS 111. After a head injury, a healthcare professional and your club decide when you play again.