Saints academy ranked one of England

Saints remain one of the leading academies in the country and are one of only two Championship teams inside the top 10 of the list.

They are the highest-ranked second-tier club with a score of 80.73 for the 2025/26 campaign, with fellow Championship side West Brom in 10th.

Chelsea topped the rankings for a fourth successive year, followed by Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

The rankings assess how academies contribute to developing players who went on to feature in professional football during the 2025/26 season.

Dom Ballard is one of several recent Saints academy graduates who is climbing up the football ladder (Image: PA)

This year’s research was expanded to include Welsh clubs and players, as well as a wider range of leagues across Europe, MLS, Liga MX and the A-League.

Southampton’s eighth-place finish puts them ahead of Premier League academies including West Ham, Aston Villa, Brighton and Newcastle.

Saints climbed one place in the rankings and underlined their continued record of producing players capable of making an impact in the game.

The programme is currently run by academy manager Duncan Fearnhead, who was appointed by overall director of talent strategy Andy Goldie.

The rankings follow academy graduates Jay Robinson, Sam Amo-Ameyaw and Jimmy-Jay Morgan all scoring for their respective clubs last week.