Soccer Stars Academy Ltd

What Soccer Stars Academy Ltd does

Soccer Stars Academy Ltd is a Glasgow-headquartered children's football coaching franchise operating across the United Kingdom, serving children from 4 months to 12 years of age through a structured, age-tiered curriculum (Tiny Stars, Twinkle Stars, Bright Stars, Shooting Stars, Super Stars, Mega Stars, and the newer ASNding Stars for additional-support-needs participants). Founded in 2016 by ex-professional footballer Mark Molloy, the company runs its programme through a network of 50+ franchise locations across Scotland, England, and Wales, reaching 2,000+ weekly participants and accumulating 1,000+ five-star reviews. The franchise architecture is the central operating model: the franchisor provides brand, curriculum, training, and operational tooling, while franchisees deliver in-person classes under the Soccer Stars Academy brand.

The business model operates on multiple revenue streams. End consumers pay £29–£32 per 4-week class block via the Class4Kids and BookPebble booking platforms, with franchisees collecting fees and remitting royalties and upfront franchise fees to the franchisor. Adjacent revenue lines include holiday camps priced £59–£99, birthday-party hosting, branded merchandise, and the more recent Tek Level programme equipped with PlayerTek GPS performance tracking. Operational technology is limited to booking platforms and GPS-based session tracking; there is no disclosed proprietary AI, predictive modeling, or computer-vision capability. Recent product expansion includes the ASNding Stars inclusive coaching line and Baby Classes targeting pre-mobile infants, both launched in 2025.

The company has accumulated multiple industry awards (Club Hub Winner 2022 and 2023, SME News 2021, Best New Entry 2023, Children's Franchise Enterprise 2023) and operates as a private limited company (SC695753). Headcount sits at 11–50, consistent with a small central franchisor organization supporting a much larger network of franchisees. No funding rounds, revenue figures, or institutional investor backing are disclosed in the available data.

Name

Soccer Stars Academy Ltd

Legal name

Soccer Stars Academy Franchising Ltd

Website

https://soccerstarsacademy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Soccer Stars Academy Ltd is a UK children's football coaching franchise founded in 2016, operating 50+ locations across Scotland, England, and Wales that deliver age-tiered classes for children aged 4 months to 12 years through a franchised network serving 2,000+ weekly participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Sports Coaching

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Sport Skill Academies (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, etc.) (MPAKAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

Keywords

• Children's football coaching
• Toddler football classes
• Youth sports franchise
• Kids football academy
• Child development football

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Weekly Class Fees: Recurring subscription-style revenue from weekly children's football classes booked in 4-week blocks, with automatic monthly payments taken on the 1st of each month via Continuous Payment Authority. Priced at £29-£32 per 4-week block depending on location.
2. Holiday Camps: One-time fee camps during school holidays (summer, Easter) priced at £59 per week or £99 for two weeks. Sibling discounts available.
3. Birthday Parties: Football-themed birthday party packages with 2-hour format including games, activities, and mini-tournament. Booked separately from regular course payments.
4. Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchising the Soccer Stars Academy brand and business model to franchisees who operate local classes under the brand.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including SSA Bottles (£6), drawstring bags, bows, winter bundles (£45-£59), quarter zips, rain jackets, and full kits (£25).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Soccer Stars Academy Ltd delivers weekly children's football coaching classes through a UK-wide franchise network, organised into age-banded tiers from Tiny Stars (4-18 months) through Mega Stars (10-12 years), plus inclusive ASNding Stars classes for children with additional support needs. The offering is rounded out by birthday party packages, school-holiday football camps, a Tek Level technology-led coaching service using GPS tracking and video analysis, a Coach Education e-learning platform, and branded merchandise, with bookings processed via Class4Kids and BookPebble platforms.

Product overview

Soccer Stars Academy Ltd operates a multi-tiered children's football coaching business structured around age-specific class programs spanning from 4 months to 12 years. The core offering consists of seven branded class tiers: Tiny Stars (4-18 months), Twinkle Stars (18 months-3 years), Bright Stars (3-4 years), Shooting Stars (5-6 years), Super Stars (7-9 years), Mega Stars (10-12 years), and ASNding Stars (inclusive classes for 2-12 years with Additional Support Needs). Supporting services include Birthday Parties, Holiday Camps (Summer Camps), and the Tek Level premium technology-led coaching program with GPS tracking. The company also operates an e-learning Coach Education platform and sells branded merchandise through its online shop. Classes are booked through third-party platforms Class4Kids and BookPebble.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASNding Stars: Inclusive football-inspired sessions tailored for children with Additional Support Needs (ASN, SEN, SEND).
• Tek Level
• Twinkle Stars
• Tiny Stars

Products and services

• Tiny Stars Football-inspired sensory sessions for babies from 4 months until confidently walking, introducing movement, exploration and play with parent participation.
• Twinkle Stars Fun and interactive toddler football classes for children aged 18 months to 3 years, designed to develop social and motor skills with parent participation.
• Bright Stars Football classes for children aged 3-4 years focused on developing basic football skills, confidence and cognitive skills through themed, imaginative activities.
• Shooting Stars Kids football training classes for ages 5-6 focusing on skill acquisition including shooting technique, dribbling, ball control, passing and tackling.
• Super Stars Advanced football classes for children aged 7-9 developing complex skills, game awareness, positional understanding and spatial reaction through small-sided games.
• Mega Stars Football classes for children aged 10-12 years using Games for Understanding model to develop game awareness and decision-making on and off the ball. Available in limited locations.
• ASNding Stars Inclusive football-inspired sessions tailored for children with Additional Support Needs (ASN, SEN, SEND), featuring a flexible sensory-aware approach for children aged 2-12 years; no diagnosis required.
• Birthday Parties Football-themed birthday party packages including games, activities, mini tournament, stickers, certificates and team captain's armband for the birthday child. 2-hour format accommodating up to 20 children.
• Summer Camps Holiday football camps for children aged 4-10 held during school breaks (Easter, summer) at various venues, featuring football activities and mini-tournaments. Priced at £59 per week or £99 for two weeks, with sibling discounts.
• Tek Level Technology-led coaching service using PlayerTek GPS tracking, video analysis and digital training tools to provide objective performance feedback and individualised training. Provides session reports on distance, speed, sprint distance, and power impacts.
• Coach Education Innovative and bespoke e-learning platform providing tailored courses to equip coaches with knowledge and skills for children's football coaching.
• SSA Merchandise Branded merchandise sold via the SSA online shop, including SSA Kit (£25), Quarter Zip, Rain Jacket, Valve Bottle (£6), Drawstring Bag, Bows, and bundle packages such as the Winter Bundle (£45).
• SSA Franchise Soccer Stars Academy Franchising Ltd (company number SC695753) licences the SSA brand, FRIENDS Philosophy, age-banded curriculum and operational systems to franchisees who operate local classes under the brand across the UK.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ young players attend classes weekly across the UK
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Boddam Public Hall (Peterhead)minorOthersLocal community hall used as a venue for Soccer Stars Academy football classes in the Peterhead/Aberdeenshire area.
• Firhill Sports Complex (Maryhill)minorOthersSports complex used as a venue for Soccer Stars Academy football classes in the Maryhill area of Glasgow.
• St. Aloysius/Chapelhall Primary SchoolminorOthersPrimary school venue used for Soccer Stars Academy classes in the Chapelhall/North Lanarkshire area.
• Scottish Football Association (SFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoaches are described as SFA qualified, indicating alignment with Scottish Football Association coaching standards and qualifications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BabyBallers: UK children's football coaching programme for toddlers and pre-schoolers using a game-based developmental approach. Comparable to Soccer Stars Academy in early-years focus, age-tiered structure and class-at-community-venue delivery.
• Premier Sport: UK provider of school-curriculum and after-school sports coaching including football. Comparable to Soccer Stars Academy in primary-age football coaching at community and school venues across the UK.
• Total Sport Coaching: UK children's multi-sport and football coaching franchise operating across primary schools and community venues. Comparable to Soccer Stars Academy in franchise structure and parent-paid weekend classes.
• Little Kickers: UK's largest children's football coaching franchise for pre-school and primary-age children. Directly comparable to Soccer Stars Academy in target age group (18 months-11 years), non-competitive philosophy, UK franchise model and parent-paid subscription classes.
• Soccer Days: UK provider of children's football coaching and holiday camps for primary-age children. Comparable to Soccer Stars Academy in age group, weekly class format and UK geographic coverage.
• Jigsaw Sports: UK children's multi-sport and football coaching provider running classes at community venues. Comparable to Soccer Stars Academy in age-tiered weekly class model and venue-based delivery.

Others

• Class4Kids: UK booking and class-management platform used by Soccer Stars Academy and many competing children's activity providers. Comparable as an ecosystem/infrastructure partner that powers the booking flow for SSA and its direct peers.

Emerging players

• Tots To Teens Sports: Emerging UK children's activity provider offering football and multi-sport classes in select regions. Comparable to Soccer Stars Academy in age-banded class structure and parent-paid subscription model, though at smaller scale.

Broad incumbents

• Pro:Direct Football Coaching: Major UK football retailer (Pro:Direct) that has run coaching academies and holiday clinics for children. Comparable as a broader, well-capitalised UK football coaching player, though its core business is retail rather than weekly toddler classes.
• English Football Trust / FA Skills: Grassroots football participation programmes run by The FA and partners offering free or subsidised coaching to children. Comparable as a wide-scale children's football coaching ecosystem against which Soccer Stars Academy competes for parent attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/soccerstarsacademyuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/soccerstarsacademyssa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soccer-stars-academy-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Soccer Stars Academy Ltd