The pathway recognises that player development is non-linear. This means players typically enter and exit football at different stages. Accordingly, the ages are a guide only.
- Developing football: fun environments to begin developing DNA qualities, where young people keep playing, or progress to talent pathways
- Grassroots football: fun, social environments that allow people to play football in a variety of different formats, based on their lifestyle, that allows for sustained lifelong participation
- Grassroots performance: challenging environments where players are striving to compete
- Talent foundations: fun environments where players begin to show potential, love playing and want to play as much as they can, while being involved in other sports or activities
- Talent development: challenging and supportive environments where players are striving to improve, with a focus on connecting to elite & performance environments
- Domestic performance: an environment that drives regular and challenging competition on a domestic level. This environment can also develop players progressing to, and exiting from, elite performance
- Elite development: an environment that selects players with high potential with the aim of progressing them to elite performance
- Elite performance: the highest level of senior football that competes at international level