Under-12s will be banned from heading footballs in bid to stop brain injuries

Children under the age of 12 will be banned from heading the ball in a trial announced by the Football Association on Monday.

The move will be welcomed by campaigners following research suggesting former footballers are more likely to die from brain disease. The International Football Association Board has backed the trial in England from the start of the 2022-23 season.

It will be put into force by the FA's county network, leagues, clubs and schools throughout the country. A FA spokesman said: "Should the trial be a success, the aim is to then remove deliberate heading from all football matches at U12 level and below from the 2023-24 season."

Ex-West Brom striker Jeff Astle and members of the 1966 England World Cup squad, including Jack Charlton and Nobby Stiles, died after suffering from brain functioning diseases believed to be linked closely to heading footballs.

Jeff's daughter Dawn, the project lead for neurodegenerative diseases in football at the Professional Footballers' Association, welcomed the trial. "We want all our children to enjoy their football, but they must be able to play safely," she said. "The proposed new trial to extend the heading guidelines already in place for training to matches is a logical and sensible step."

Sir Bobby Charlton, who won the World Cup and played for Manchester United, has been diagnosed with dementia. Several former rugby internationals, some of whom have been diagnosed with dementia and probable Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a progressive brain condition which is thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head.

NFL players took action in the US over head injuries in 2013, with a £570m overall settlement involving around 4,500 players.

Research has shown professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die from dementia than people of the same age range in the general population. Children aged 11 and under are no longer taught to head during training in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

FA guidance for coaches put limits on how much heading older children should do. Last year, it was recommended professional footballers in England should be limited to 10 "higher force headers" a week in training.

The FA spokesman added: "The FA will continue to explore further ideas, in consultation with stakeholders in the game, to reduce heading in youth football without fundamentally changing the fabric of the game."