The FAI Emerging Talent Programme helps identify and develop talented young players around the country with a view to helping them progress onto the international stage in due course.

As the governing body of a country with no professional underage competition/coaching/development structure there is an obligation to assist in the structured development of young players countrywide for all facets of the game

There is now a structured programme of development, which mirrors best practice in European and World standards, at League, Regional and National level to assist clubs and leagues

Emerging Talent Programme Aims

* To provide emerging talent with the opportunity to train within their own area in a more structured and quality environment
* To provide a higher quantity and quality of players for National and International teams
* To improve the quality of players across all levels of the game countrywide
* To identify, develop, monitor and evaluate players in the Under 11-15 age groups
* To enable emerging talent to develop all of their capacities to their potential
* ​To provide emerging talent with a more challenging level of training and development

The Pathway will now be: