CACT Football Centres (2-8 years)

The CACT Football Centre is Charlton Athletic Community Trust's (CACT) award-winning football development programme for boys and girls aged 2-8 years, delivered by our experienced and qualified coaches. Designed to support young players at the beginning of their football journey, the programme provides a structured and progressive pathway that develops core movement skills, football techniques, confidence and enjoyment in a fun, safe and engaging environment. The programme is designed to maximise participation while helping every child reach their full potential.

At the end of each course, players will receive:

Individual feedback based on our assessment criteria through 360 Player (4-8years)
A coloured wristband representing the level they have achieved. (4-8 years)

Players are assessed against age-specific criteria and progress through a series of levels, with each stage requiring a higher score to move on to the next. The CACT Football Centre is delivered across three 12-week blocks throughout the year, with each block divided into two exciting challenges that help track and celebrate every player's development.

Click here to book a place on the CACT Football Centre

Toddler Soccer (Aged 2-3)

Toddler Soccer is designed to support boys' and girls' first experiences in sport. Sessions are based around fun and engaging football activities that help develop:

Core movement skills
Motor skills and coordination
Listening and communication skills
Confidence and social interaction

At the end of every session, each player is rewarded with celebratory stickers to recognise their effort and participation.

Fundamental Football Centre (Aged 4-5)

The Fundamental Football Centre provides the first step in developing key football skills and game understanding. The programme focuses on:

Fundamental Skills
Ball Mastery
Social Development
Game Understanding

Players receive ongoing assessment and personalised feedback throughout the programme, as well as a coloured wristband to reflect the level they have achieved.

Technical Football Centre (Aged 6-8)

The Technical Football Centre is designed for young players who are keen to further develop their football ability within a fun and supportive environment.

Sessions focus on:

Dribbling and Control
Passing
Shooting and Finishing
Attacking
Defending

Players receive regular assessment and feedback, alongside a coloured wristband that recognises their development and achievement throughout the programme.

CACT Football Centre Shield

Players who sign up to three or more sessions during a term will be invited to attend the CACT Football Centre Shield, providing an opportunity to experience competitive football and represent their venue.

Children compete against players from other CACT Football Centre locations in a tournament format to determine the winner of the Shield. The event takes place during each half-term break at the Charlton Athletic Training Ground.

The CACT Football Centre Shield gives players the opportunity to:

Put the skills learned in weekly sessions into practice.
Experience competitive football in a positive environment.
Develop teamwork and communication skills.
Build confidence through match play.
Create lasting memories with teammates and friends.

It is a fantastic opportunity for players to showcase their development while enjoying the excitement of tournament football.

Success Stories

Many young players have used the CACT Football Centre as the starting point of their football journey, developing both their football skills and confidence through regular participation.

Caluca has developed his footballing ability and seen significant improvements in his social skills since beginning his journey at the CACT Football Centre. Read his full story here.

Jesse joined the CACT Football Centre aged just five and worked his way through the programme before progressing into the Advanced Centre.

Kai Mustafa also progressed from the CACT Football Centre onto the Valley Gold Advanced Centre, demonstrating the positive impact of consistent participation and development. Read his full story here.

Harry Markley attended CACT Football Centre sessions from the age of three and spent six years developing his football skills with CACT coaches. Since then, Harry has signed for the Charlton Athletic Academy. Read his full story here.

Twins Max and Henry Garrey started attending CACT Football Centre sessions at the age of four. Their football skills quickly developed, leading to Max progressing into the Advanced Centre and Henry joining the Charlton Athletic Pre-Academy. Read their story here.

Oli Fairley joined the CACT Football Centre aged four and progressed through the programme by attending sessions regularly. His continued development led to an invitation to join the Advanced Centre to further enhance his skills. Read his story here.