The English Football Association will not follow in the footsteps of their United States counterparts and attempt to ban heading in junior football.

The United States Soccer Federation has proposed a ban on heading the ball for ages 10 and under, in an attempt to reduce the number of concussions in junior football.

"The FA will shortly announce new guidelines - formed by an independent expert panel - which look at how to identify, manage and treat suspected head injuries and to manage a player's safe return to play at all levels of football.

"However, they do not relate to how football should be played - something which is governed by the laws of the game, set out by FIFA as the world's governing body.

"In addition to this new guidance, the panel has been tasked to identify key research questions into the long-term effects of head injury or repeated concussion episodes on the brain. The FA will take these research questions to FIFA in due course."