Arsenal Women Football Club Academy (Arsenal W.F.C. Academy) is the

youth academy In sporting terminology, a youth system (or youth academy) is a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show en ...

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 1980's, 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.

Players

Under-21s

Notable players

This is a list of former Arsenal W.F.C. Academy players who have gone on to represent their country at full international level. Players who are still at Arsenal, or play at another club on loan from Arsenal, are highlighted in bold. :''Updated 24 July 2025'' * Lily Agg * Michelle Agyemang *

Anita Asante Anita Amma Ankyewah Asante (born 27 April 1985) is an English association football, football Coach (sports), coach and former player who is the first-team coach at Bristol City W.F.C., Bristol City. A defender (association football), defender o ...

* Jade Bailey * Paige Bailey-Gayle * Vaila Barsley * Lauren Bruton * Laura Coombs *

Gemma Davison Gemma Suzanne Davison (born 17 April 1987) is an English footballer who plays as a forward. She has previously played for Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Reading whom she joined from Chelsea in 2018. After joining Arsenal at youth team level ...

* Araya Dennis * Anna Filbey * Gilly Flaherty * Silvana Flores * Angharad James *

Lauren James Lauren Elizabeth James (born 29 September 2001) is an English professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for Women's Super League (WSL) club Chelsea F.C. Women, Chelsea and the England wo ...

Cherelle Khassal Cherelle Khassal (born 9 January 1991) is an Irish people, Irish international Association football, footballer who plays for AFC Wimbledon Women, AFC Wimbledon of the English FA Women's National League. She made her debut for the Republic of I ...

Chloe Kelly Chloe Maggie Kelly (born 15 January 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Arsenal, on loan from Manchester City, and the England national team. Kelly started her senior career at Arsenal ...

* Freya Godfrey * Teyah Goldie * Hayley Ladd * Ruby Mace * Katie Reid *

Taryn Rockall Taryn Rockall (born 11 November 1977) is an Australian soccer player. She played for the NSW Sapphires in the Women's National Soccer League (WNSL), Arsenal in the FA Women's Premier League and later for the Central Coast Mariners in the Austr ...

* Vyan Sampson *

Lianne Sanderson Lianne Joan Sanderson (born 3 February 1988) is a current broadcaster and former English professional footballer who played as a forward. She won 50 caps for the England national team. At the international level, Sanderson made her debut for E ...

* Alex Scott *

Renée Slegers Renée Josina Anna Slegers (; born 5 February 1989) is a Dutch football coach and former player, who is the head coach of Women's Super League club Arsenal. Slegers played as a midfielder, representing Willem II, as well as Swedish Damallsvens ...

* Drew Spence * Rebecca Spencer *

Casey Stoney Casey Jean Stoney (born 13 May 1982) is an English professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, player who currently serves as the head coach of the Canada women's national soccer team. A versatile ...

Naomi Williams Naomi Williams may refer to: * Naomi Williams (footballer) (born 2004), English footballer * Naomi Williams (figure skater) (born 2006), American pair skater {{hndis, Williams, Naomi ...

* Leah Williamson *

Sarah Wiltshire Sarah Francis Wiltshire (born 7 July 1991) is a professional footballer who plays for Cambridge United in the English FA Womens National League Division 1 South East and previously played for Wales as a midfielder or forward. Club career Wiltshi ...

* Ellen White * Lotte Wubben-Moy

Honours

*FA Girls Youth Cup: 2015 & 2016 *FA Girls League Cup: 2016 *

Blue Stars/Fifa Youth Cup Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup is an international association football competition organised by FIFA. History Founded by FC Blue Stars, Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup is an international youth club football tournament. The Zürich based club were one of ...

: 2024 *PGA Southern League: 2024 *PGA League Division One: 2024–25 *

Capital Women's Senior Cup The Capital Women's Senior Cup is an annual women's association football cup competition run jointly by the Middlesex County Football Association, Middlesex FA, the London Football Association, London FA, the Surrey FA and the Amateur Football Al ...

: 2024-25

References

{{coord missing, United Kingdom Arsenal W.F.C. Football academies in England