Arsenal Women Football Club Academy (Arsenal W.F.C. Academy) is the youth academy of Arsenal Women Football Club. The academy operates for girls from 9 to 21 years old.
History Arsenal Women's Academy started as a community programme in the late 1980s, when the club decided to develop a youth training scheme for 16- to 18-year-old girls who were interested in playing football. This scheme meant girls could play football full-time for two years, fully funded by a government training scheme.
Arsenal's Head of Community, Freddie Hudson MBE, is still involved with the academy setup and has helped to develop the pathway for girls in the North London communities into the current setup as it currently stands.
The academy has won three FA Girls Youth Cups in addition to other trophies lifted altogether.
Ahead of the 2023–24 season, Arsenal were one of 16 football clubs awarded a Category 1 Professional Game Academy License (PGAs). The PGAs replaced what were then known as FA WSL Academies.
Ahead of the 2025–26 season, it was announced that PGA sides would be competing in the Women's National League Cup for the first time, after the addition of those sides in the Women's National League Plate competition during the 2024–25 season. Along with this, there was the introduction of a group stage for the Cup: Arsenal were drawn in group K alongside Loughborough Lightning, Northampton Town and Rugby Borough. Arsenal's PGA side placed fourth in their group after losses to Northampton Town and Rugby Borough, and a last minute win against Lougborough Lightning, meaning that they did not advance to the knockout rounds of either the Plate or Cup competitions.
Players
Under-21s
Dual registration loan Dual registration loans allow young players to gain senior team experience at lower league clubs, usually Women's National League, whilst also being eligible for their Academy or even senior team games.
Academy Development Registration Academy Development Registration (ADR) loans were introduced during the 2025-26 football season, replacing the older dual registration loan scheme. Former young Arsenal defender Niamh Peacock became the first player to sign an ADR loan in the WSL2 in January 2026 when she signed for Portsmouth FC.
Management and Staff
Current staff
+PositionNamePlayer Pathway ManagerPauline MacDonaldHead CoachThomas BaldwinETC Under-19s Head CoachHannah CootePDP Lead & Under-21s Head CoachJohn Hal BittingYDP Lead & Under-16s Head CoachJon WhittinghamFoundation Phase LeadAna PopovAcademy Goalkeeping LeadTom GallinAcademy Strength & Conditioning Coach Sam HawkesAcademy Player Care LeadGrace Brooks
Academy Graduates This is a list of former Arsenal W.F.C. Academy players who have gone on to represent Arsenal at senior level. Players who are still at Arsenal, or play at another club on loan from Arsenal, are highlighted in bold.
Updated 16 July 2026
Left Academy before 2000
Alex Scott Casey Stoney
Left Academy between 2000 and 2009
Anita Asante Lianne Sanderson Drew Spence Ellen White Gemma Davison Gilly Flaherty Rebecca Spencer Vaila Barsley Laura Coombs Renée Slegers Sarah Wiltshire Lauren Bruton Hayley Ladd
Left Academy between 2010 and 2019
Cherelle Khassal Angharad James Lily Agg Jade Bailey Leah Williamson Vyan Sampson Taylor Hinds Chloe Kelly Lotte Wubben-Moy Anna Filbey Lauren James Paige Bailey-Gayle Silvana Flores
Left Academy between 2020 and 2029
Ruby Mace Araya Dennis Teyah Goldie Naomi Williams Michelle Agyemang Freya Godfrey Katie Reid Sophie Harwood
Honours FA Girls Youth Cup: 2015, 2016 , 2026 FA Girls League Cup: 2016 FA Girls' England Talent Pathway League (Under 16): 2022-23 (Invincible season) Blue Stars/Fifa Youth Cup: 2024 PGA Southern League: 2024, 2025 PGA League Division One: 2024–25, 2025–26 Capital Women's Senior Cup: 2022–23, 2024-25
References