THE first of two 2025/26 National Silent Support Weekends will take place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th November 2025 to promote respect in youth football across England, and The FA want everyone in the grassroots football community to join in.
The FA, and the Essex County FA, are asking as many people as possible to play an important part and the aim is simple: to raise awareness of the need to create a positive and pressure-free environment in which children can enjoy football and develop their game. Leagues in Essex are welcome to sign-up to support the campaign.
Too often, there are too many voices from the touchline, too many opinions, and too much unnecessary distraction. Silent Support Weekend is here to help young players and referees to find their voice on the pitch, make their own decisions and enjoy their game with no distracting noise from spectators on the sidelines. Leagues can run their own Silent Support Weekends in addition to the two national events.
Spectators and coaches are also being encouraged to show their support during their matches through applause only. This will reduce pressure and confusion and give players a better opportunity to find their own voice and develop their game. All spectators have to do is not talk, but they can still applaud good play from both teams.
During the recent ‘Play Safe’ Weekend, Valley Green FC’s Club Welfare Officer, Sarah Brooker, explained how effective silent support can be: “We received highly-positive feedback from a number of team managers. On Sunday, we decided to enhance the weekend by introducing the ‘Silent Support’ initiative for all of our home games.”
“Parents and spectators participated by showing their support through positive encouragement and clapping only, refraining from vocal instructions or criticism. Many players expressed that they actually prefer when it is Silent Weekend, appreciating the supportive and positive atmosphere. We continue to encourage parents and spectators to maintain this approach, offering only positive reinforcement to both teams.”
Leagues who’d like to take part can use the form accessible via www.essexfa.com to sign-up. This form should only be completed by league officials. The second Silent Support Weekend of 2025/26 is scheduled for Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March 2026, and participating clubs and leagues can show their support by interacting with the Essex County FA on social media.
