League: EPL Sport: Soccer Country: England Category: Coaching

Bournemouth achieves Category One academy status in significant development

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 24, 2026, 9:00 AM

Last updated Jul 24, 2026

Bournemouth achieves Category One academy status in significant development

Summary

Bournemouth's academy has been awarded Category One status, a milestone announced by academy manager Sam Gisborne on July 24. This recognition enhances the club's ability to develop talent, offering better competition against Premier League teams and access to national recruitment. Gisborne emphasized the importance of this upgrade for both the club's future and the players involved. The first year will mirror the previous Category Two setup but aims for expanded opportunities as the academy matures.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Key Details

•Bournemouth awarded Category One status as of July 24, 2026.
•This upgrade allows access to Premier League level competition.
•The academy can now recruit nationally for certain age groups.
•Gisborne mentions ongoing work to maximize the benefits of this status.
•Improvement aims to create better opportunities for player development.

Latest Updates

9:00 AMYahoo Sports — Bournemouth's new academy status a 'massive moment'

What they're saying

"
Bournemouth's academy manager Sam Gisborne has said it is "very pleasing" that the Cherries have been awarded Category One status. "We now have better opportunity to affect the first team, which is exactly why we are here and what we want to do," he said.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

EPL Soccer