Community & safety

For everyone

• Be respectful. No abuse, threats, harassment or discrimination — about race, nationality, religion, gender, sexuality, disability or anything else.
• Be honest. Profiles, club details and offers must be accurate.
• Keep it about football. AwayGameFC is for genuine football opportunities, not dating, selling or recruiting for anything else.
• Respect privacy. Don't share someone else's personal details or messages without their permission.

For clubs

• Never ask a player for money — for trials, registration, "placement fees", kit or anything else — as a condition of an opportunity. Clubs that do will be removed.
• Be clear and upfront: trial dates, level, whether it's paid, and what help you can give with travel, accommodation and visas.
• Respect a "no", and don't pressure players to decide quickly.
• Only contact players and coaches about real opportunities at your club.
• Check coaches before hiring. Licences without a ✓ Verified mark, and all police / working-with-children checks, are self-declared. Confirm them, and carry out your own background checks — especially for any role involving under-18s.

For coaches

• List only licences you actually hold, and only tick the police / working-with-children check if it's current. Clubs may ask for proof.
• Upload your certificates to get a ✓ Verified mark — clubs trust verified licences more. Never upload someone else's certificate or an altered one.
• The red flags below apply to you too — never pay to be considered for a role.

For players and coaches: spotting red flags

Most clubs are genuine, but football has its share of scams. Be careful if:

• you're asked to pay anything to trial, sign, get a visa or be "represented";
• you're pressured to decide or travel very quickly;
• you're asked early on for passport scans, bank details or other sensitive documents;
• the offer seems too good to be true;
• someone wants to move the conversation to a personal account straight away;
• you can't find the club or the person on the club's official website, social media or league listings.

For players and coaches: staying safe

• Check the club independently — its official website, league and social media.
• Get any offer in writing before you travel, and have a contract checked by someone independent, such as a lawyer or a players' union.
• Check visa and work rules with the destination country's official immigration website.
• Tell family or someone you trust where you're going, and share the club's details with them.
• Meet at official club facilities, not private addresses.
• Never send money to secure an opportunity.

Blocking and reporting

• Block: players and coaches can block a club from any conversation. The club won't be able to message you again.
• Report: if anyone breaks these guidelines, asks you for money, or makes you feel unsafe, tell us. Include the club or player's name and what happened.
• In danger? Contact local emergency services first — in New Zealand, call 111.

What we do

We review every report. Depending on what happened, we may warn the account, remove content, remove a club's verification, or close the account. Where appropriate, we'll pass information to the police or other authorities. Breaking these guidelines also breaks our terms of use.