Cut From Your Football Team? What to Do Next

The coach told you after training. Or the club sent an email. You are not in next season’s squad.

This happens to many good players at 16, 17 and 18. Squads get smaller and the step to senior football gets steep. Being cut is a decision about one squad in one season. It is not a verdict on your career.

This guide covers the weeks after the news. It explains what to ask your coach, how the Swedish transfer rules work and how to choose your next club.

The first 48 hours

Do not post about it. Do not send angry messages to teammates. Clubs read social media, and Stockholm football is a small world.

Talk to your parents or someone you trust. Then sleep on it.

Ask your coach three questions

Ask for ten minutes, in person or by phone. Keep the talk calm and short. Ask:

What was the main reason I did not make the squad?
Which two things should I improve first?
Which level fits me right now?

Write the answers down the same day. Honest feedback is worth more than a kind excuse. A coach who sees you take the news well gives better references later.

Keep training

Fitness drops fast after a season ends. Train three times a week until you join a new club. Mix running, gym work and ball work. Futsal or indoor five-a-side keeps your touch sharp through the winter.

Know the transfer rules

SvFF, the Swedish Football Association, sets clear rules for amateur players who change clubs.

The free month runs from 15 November to 15 December. In this window an amateur player can move to a new club without the old club’s approval.
Outside the free month, the old club must approve the move. Without approval, the transfer is registered in the next free month.
Players under 18 need written consent from a parent or guardian for registration and transfers.
The new club registers the transfer in Fogis. You can play four days after the club pays for the transfer.
No transfer is needed after 30 months without a competitive match for any club.
Training compensation does not apply to amateur moves. It covers professional contracts only.

Read the full rules at SvFF before you sign anything. SvFF updates them each season.

Choose your next club by minutes, not by the badge

A big club name does not help you on the bench. Players develop by playing. Ask every club these questions before you decide:

How many players are in the squad, and how many play each week?
Who coaches the team, and what licence do they hold?
Which days and times does the team train, and where?
What does a season cost, and what is included?
Where did last year’s oldest players go next?

The last question tells you the most. A club with a real path to senior football can name players who made the step.

Make it easy for clubs to say yes

Send each club one short message. Give your name, birth year, position, current club and two lines about your strengths. Add a short video clip. Our guide to a football CV that gets noticed shows the format.

Contact three to five clubs, not twenty. Pick clubs you can reach in under 45 minutes. You will travel there two or three evenings a week, all year.

For parents

Your child needs a plan more than sympathy. Help with three things: the coach meeting, the club shortlist and the transport. Let your child do the talking with coaches. Clubs want to hear from the player.

Transfers for players under 18 need your written consent. Stay close to the paperwork. Our football parent guide has more advice.

Where FC Nordljus fits

FC Nordljus is building its first P19/U19 squad for 2027. We are recruiting players born in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Base: Blackebergs BP in Västerort, Stockholm.
Coaches: UEFA-licensed.
Pathway: The U19 squad works closely with our senior team in Division 7. Strong U19 players can be invited to senior training.
Process: You apply, we review your details and we contact you about a trial.

League entry, fees and trial dates for 2027 are not confirmed yet. We publish them once they are set. An application does not guarantee a trial or a squad place.

Apply for U19 2027

Read the full P19/U19 2027 programme.

Frequently asked questions

Can I join a new club straight after being cut?

Yes, with your old club's approval. Without approval, you move in the free month, 15 November to 15 December.

Do I need my parents' permission to change clubs?

Yes, for players under 18. SvFF requires written consent from a parent or guardian.

Does my new club have to pay my old club?

Not as training compensation. That system covers professional contracts only. The new club pays a fee to register the transfer.

Should I drop down a level?

Often, yes. Regular minutes at a lower level develop you more than a place on the bench higher up.

Can I apply to FC Nordljus when I am registered at another club?

Yes. Tell us your current club and registration status. The transfer rules apply before any move.

Sources: SvFF Representationsbestämmelser 2026, SvFF transfer questions and answers, SvFF training compensation rules.