Safeguarding

Why this matters

Football has a long, well-documented history of safeguarding failures. Young players have been exploited by unregulated agents, false promises of trials, fraudulent academies abroad, and adults who have used football aspirations to gain access and trust.

Pitch FC's mission is to help footballers in the leagues no one sees. A meaningful proportion of those footballers will be under 18, often in regions with weaker child-protection infrastructure than in the UK or EU. We have a profound responsibility to design our platform so it improves their safety rather than creating new risks.

This page describes the principles we are building Pitch FC on, the specific safeguards being designed into the platform, and how to report concerns.

Our safeguarding principles

Specific safeguards being designed for Pitch FC

Under-18 accounts

When the Pitch FC platform launches in 2027, accounts for users under the age of 18 will have specific restrictions:

• Restricted direct messaging. Clubs, scouts, agents, and federations cannot directly message under-18 players. They can express interest through the platform; communications are routed through the player's club, parent/guardian, or a designated representative.
• No public contact details. Phone numbers, personal email addresses, and home locations are never displayed on under-18 profiles.
• Mandatory parental or guardian consent. Under-16 accounts require explicit verifiable parental consent before being created. Under-18 accounts will require age verification.
• Profile visibility controls. Under-18 profiles default to limited visibility — only verified clubs and federations matching specific criteria can view them.
• Content moderation. Highlight clips uploaded by under-18 players are reviewed before going public.

Verification of clubs, scouts, agents, and federations

To gain scouting privileges on Pitch FC, demand-side users (clubs, scouts, agents, federations) will need to provide verifiable credentials. We will verify:

• Clubs: Affiliation with a recognised national football association.
• Scouts: Employment by a verified club, or membership of a recognised scouting body.
• Agents: FIFA agent licence (where applicable) or recognised national agent registration.
• Federations: Direct verification through official federation contact channels.

Unverified accounts will not have contact privileges with under-18 players, and will have limited contact privileges with adult players.

Reporting and response

Pitch FC will provide multiple ways to report safeguarding concerns:

• An in-product report button on every player profile, message, and content piece.
• A direct safeguarding email address (currently hello@pitchfc.club; a dedicated address will be created before platform launch).
• Clear pathways to relevant national child-protection agencies (NSPCC in the UK, equivalent bodies internationally).

Reports will be reviewed promptly. Where a credible safeguarding concern is identified, we will:

• Take immediate protective action (account suspension, content removal, etc.).
• Cooperate with relevant authorities, federations, and child-protection agencies.
• Inform the affected player and, where appropriate, their parent or guardian.
• Maintain confidentiality of the reporter to the extent possible.

Data protection for minors

Personal data of under-18 users will be subject to enhanced protections, including:

• Data minimisation — we will collect only the data necessary for the player to use the platform.
• Strict purpose limitation — data will not be used for purposes beyond those explicitly consented to.
• Easy data deletion processes — accessible to both the player and their parent or guardian.

Our handling of personal data is governed by our Privacy Policy.

What this looks like during the waitlist phase

During the current pre-launch phase, Pitch FC's only data collection is the waitlist email signup form. We do not currently host player profiles, messages, or any social features. The safeguards described above apply to the platform when it launches in 2027.

We are sharing this commitment publicly now so that:

• Federations and clubs evaluating Pitch FC understand our position before partnership conversations.
• Players and parents joining the waitlist know what they are signing up to.
• We hold ourselves publicly accountable to these principles as we build.

Our limitations and ongoing commitment

We will be transparent: Pitch FC is in development, and we are not yet a perfect safeguarding organisation. We are a small team without a dedicated safeguarding officer at this stage. We will:

• Engage a qualified safeguarding consultant before platform launch.
• Designate a Safeguarding Lead role within the company before any user-generated content is enabled.
• Publish updated safeguarding policies as we approach launch.
• Welcome scrutiny and feedback from federations, child-protection bodies, and individual users.

If you have expertise in safeguarding and would like to advise Pitch FC, we genuinely want to hear from you. Email hello@pitchfc.club.

Contact us

For safeguarding-related queries:

• Email: hello@pitchfc.club
• For urgent child-protection concerns where a child may be at immediate risk: contact emergency services first, then notify us.