Athleads

GBE Points Calculator

A free tool to work out a player's Governing Body Endorsement points for a move to England, from the FA's 2026/27 criteria for men's and women's football. See the score for each of the FA's six tables, the outcome, and what would change it.

The player

For the youth rules and the ESC route.

National team

The FA's average of recent rankings, published on TheFA.com.

%

Of the competitive matches they were available for: the last 24 months, or 12 if born on or after 1 January 2005.

Club football

%

Of the minutes the player was available for, in the last 12 months.

Moved clubs, or on loan?

Counts if they also played for the parent club.

Continental football

Last club, last season

The FA scores where the player's club last season finished and how far it went in Europe, even if the player did not play in those matches.

Men's criteria 2026/27

Your result

0/ 15 points needed

Choose the player's league and enter their minutes, or their international record, to see the outcome.

  • International appearances0 / 10
  • Domestic league minutes0 / 12
  • Continental minutes0 / 10
  • Last club's league finish0 / 6
  • Last club's continental run0 / 10
  • Current club's league0 / 12

An estimate from the FA's published criteria, not a GBE decision or legal advice. The FA decides every application, using the club's evidence and the official minutes spreadsheet.

How GBE points work

Players who are not British or Irish need a Governing Body Endorsement from the FA to play in England. The FA checks four routes, in order:

  1. Auto Pass on international appearances: a high enough share of the national team's competitive matches, for a nation ranked high enough.
  2. Points across six tables: international appearances, league minutes, continental minutes, the last club's league finish and continental run, and the current club's league. Men need 15 points, women 24.
  3. The Exceptions Panel for players just short (men 10–14 points, women 20–23), only with evidence that exceptional circumstances, such as a long injury, kept them below the mark.
  4. Elite Significant Contribution (ESC), for men born on or after 1 January 2003, using one of the signing club's limited ESC places.

What decides most cases

The league's band. The FA groups leagues into bands (six for men, three for women). The same minutes are worth far more in a higher band, through both the minutes table and the current club's table.

The 30% cliff. Under 30% of available league minutes scores nothing, in every band. A regular at a smaller club often scores more than a fringe player at a bigger one.

Continental football. It pays twice: for the player's own minutes, and for how far the club went.

Our guide, The GBE Points System, Explained , works through each of these with examples.

Questions

Who needs a GBE?

Any player who is not a British or Irish citizen, and has no settled or pre-settled status in the UK, needs a GBE before an English club can register them.

Which period does the FA count?

Club minutes count over the 12 months before the application. International appearances count over 24 months, or 12 for younger players. The last club's league finish and continental run come from the last full season.

Where do I find the aggregated FIFA ranking?

The FA publishes its aggregated rankings list on TheFA.com. It averages recent FIFA rankings, so it can differ from the current FIFA ranking.

How do I count minutes for a player who moved clubs?

The FA weights each club's minutes by how long the player was registered there. Enter the league where the player spent most of the period, and add the other league under "Moved clubs, or on loan?"; the FA counts the higher score.

Is this an official FA tool?

No. It applies the FA's published tables, but the FA decides every application, from the club's evidence and the FA's own minutes spreadsheet.

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Based on the FA's men's and women's GBE criteria for 2026/27, effective 15 June 2026. An estimate, not a GBE decision or legal advice.