Amsterdam blocks "illegal" football schools from city’s fields 

Amsterdam has started denying "illegal football schools" access to municipal football fields, the municipality announced on Monday. This will apply to commercial schools that are not regulated and, therefore, do not meet the requirements to use the fields, according to the municipality.

The municipality usually does not have any formal relations with these football schools. This means that they do not pay rent and do not meet the basic conditions for a safe sporting environment, like the Declaration of Good Conduct (VOG) for trainers.

Law enforcers will send the football schools away from the municipal fields starting this week. In addition, the municipality is terminating the field lease with two associations that have been taken over by commercial football schools starting next season.

"Commercial interests disrupt the structure of associations, for example, because places in selection teams can be purchased," the municipality said.

“These commercial football schools demand enormous fees and trade in ‘football dreams’. Young players are sometimes only given a starting spot if they participate in the football school,” said alderman of Sport and Movement Sofyan Mbarki.

“There are also occasions of a lot of extra money being asked for tournaments and or activities at a professional club, which in practice is not much special. The associations are the places where young Amsterdammers can play football safely and without obstacles, so if we see that the football schools are undermining the clubs, we will take action.”

The municipality offered all football schools the opportunity to conclude a field lease last year. The schools that did not do this are, therefore, not allowed to play on the municipal fields starting this week.

These measures are the “next step in the regulation of commercial football schools,” said the municipality.

Earlier this year, the municipality opened a reporting point for abuses surrounding commercial football schools. Around 60 reports have now been received thus far.