What Swim England membership does my child need to compete?
Rule- England
- Swim England
- Club swimming
- Licensed meets
- World Aquatics rules
- 2026
- Parents
- Under 18
Every club member is registered with Swim England each year in one of three categories (Regulation 47):
| Category | Who it's for |
|---|---|
| Club Train | Members learning to swim or training at any level who don't compete in open competitions. They can still swim in exempt events: competitions restricted to the promoting body's own members, and Swim England "low level competitions" |
| Club Compete | Members who compete in open competitions. The fee includes registration as a competitor |
| Club Support | Everyone else, including parents, coaches, teachers, officials and helpers |
Under Regulation 321.1.1, any swimmer entering national, regional, county or local championships, open meets or swimming leagues must be registered as Club Compete. Level 3 licensed meets also require every entrant to be Club Compete.
If a Club Train swimmer is drafted into an open team competition at short notice, they can swim in one gala but must be registered as Club Compete within 14 days.
Updated 21 Oct 2026