About Us
Our Passion is Providing a British-Style of Football Education
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19 Jun 2025- 22 May 2025
- 21 Feb 2025
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Our Story
The British Football Academy (BFA) was established in 2004 and operates out of many locations in Tokyo and Yokohama, providing a British-style of football education and competition to youngsters in Japan.
Our British coaches, all trained and qualified by the English Football Association (The FA), use approved coaching methodologies to deliver a fun, structured, skill-based coaching curriculum in English, within a multicultural, co-ed, friendly, energetic and productive environment. “”Football Fun For All”” is the maxim that underpins everything we do within the British Football Academy’s programmes.
Our coaching strategy covers all the ground between fundamental football education through to competition, and our programmes are based on the BFA Pyramid:
Fundamental Football:
The British Football Academy’s “fundamental football” layer has been designed to cater to all children of mixed ability, between the ages of 3 and 14 years old and an interest in football is the only prerequisite.
BFA “fundamental football” coaching sessions have been designed to develop individual football skills while simultaneously encouraging positive peer interaction and teamwork, within a fun, safe and friendly, English-speaking environment. BFA coaches have all benefited from the enjoyment and rewards that football can bring and are committed to passing this feeling on, to inspire and motivate the next generation of potential Jude Bellinghams, Trent Alexander-Arnolds and Cole Palmers.
We at BFA truly believe that it’s never too early to start playing and learning about football. The formative years of a child’s life are key when it comes to establishing a solid foundation of football proficiency, but at the same time BFA recognizes the need for kids to be kids and have fun. With this in mind, we have developed five age-specific sessions that comprise the BFA (fundamental football) family:
- Pups: Sessions for 3 & 4 year olds
- Bulldogs: Sessions for 5 & 6 year olds
- Lions: Sessions for 7 & 8 year olds
- The Academy: Sessions for 9 & 10 year olds
- The Academy Stars: Sessions for 11 & 12 year olds
- The Under 14s: Sessions for 13 & 14 year olds
- Lionesses: Sessions for Girls 7 ~12 year olds
Fundamental-Competitative (“Bridge”) Layer:
The Fundamental-Competitive (“Bridge”) layer of The British Football Academy – the latest addition to our program – adds a new dimension to the BFA Pyramid and aims to bridge the gap between the fundamental, play/fun/game-centric sessions and the competitive, team-based Jaguars groups.
This layer is currently exclusive to children from 6-10 years old and is designed to accommodate BFA players who wish to progress from playing football-based games to experiencing football training sessions at their most basic technical, tactical and physical level. The sessions are designed, like all of BFA’s classes, with enjoyment as their primary objective. However, this layer is designed to introduce and guide the players through the process of “”learning to train”” – as opposed to the competitive layer sessions (Jaguars) which are focused on “”training to compete””. The process of learning to train itself consists of introducing the children to the aforementioned basic aspects of the game (technical, tactical and physical), as well as the mental side of the game (energy, perseverance, patience, consistency and urgency).
All children that wish to participate in the U-8 & U10 Development sessions are required to first take an informal trial. In the trial they will experience what the sessions entail as well as being assessed in regards to whether the sessions are appropriate, or if they are better suited to remain in the fundamental sessions for the sake of keeping them engaged, enthusiastic and accommodated for. This layer of the BFA Pyramid is specifically aimed to facilitate the needs of young footballers who wish to play/train at a higher level and who are keen and interested in learning more about the game and how to develop as a player.
After the trial period, the children will be involved in diverse, engaging training sessions each week and can look forward to their first experiences of training and playing regularly in a team environment, with the prospect of competing in small-sided matches and tournaments together.”
Competitive Football:
The “Competitive” layer has been introduced to prepare the children for competitive football through the use of team training at a higher technical, physical and tactical level than the other layers of the BFA Pyramid.
This is achieved by incorporating small-sided games and game-based situational activities, the underlying principles of which aim to develop players as team members with increased skills to understand the different mental aspects of the game.
Both age groups learn to play a number of variations of the game, from five-a-side up. The players have the opportunity to compete in league football, cup competitions and one-day tournaments.
The ultimate aim is to develop children into diverse and adaptable players who can utilise the skills they learn with BFA in their future football endeavours.
Elite Football:
COMING SOON…
iNTERLiga
iNTERLiga is a tournament played between the different BFA locations every term (3 times a year). The tournament is typically organized on Saturdays at the prestigeous YC&AC in Yokohama, or the beautiful turf pitch at BST Nagasawa ground. Members from the Bulldogs, Lions, Academy and Academy Stars are divided into teams of their own age groups, and compete against each other and some local International school teams.
Members will receive an invitation by email approximately a month before the tournament. All members must respond to this email to sign-up to join the tournament.
The Football
Association (FA)
The modern game of football dates back to 1863, when a set of universal rules and regulations were laid down and agreed upon, by 12 clubs and schools who were playing different versions of the game in the London area, up until then. The Football Association was formed, henceforth, with Ebenezer Cobb Morley at its helm, and 14 laws of the game were instituted to standardize the game in England. In the following century football would become the most played, watched and talked about pursuit in the world and the regulatory framework, introduced by the FA, for the game as a whole, made all this possible.
Today, the FA continues to take the lead in providing an official structure for organized football and its activities include running international teams, organizing the world-famous FA Cup (among other cup competitions), youth development, refereeing, coaching and representing the English game internationally – within the FIFA and UEFA governing bodies. FA education has provided thousands of coaches and referees with qualifications that perpetuate the long-standing FA ethos of quality and excellence. The qualifications gained through expert instruction provided by specialist trainers, provide an internationally recognized hallmark that we at BFA are proud to possess.