Written evidence submitted by the Football Association

Introduction

The Football Association is the not-for-profit national governing body for football in England with surplus we generate invested back into football.

We are responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game. The professional game covers England international teams across men’s, women’s, youth and disability football, as well as running the National League System and FA Competitions including the Emirates FA Cup, and Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

The grassroots game cover over 30,000 clubs and 100,000 teams, with over 15 million people playing football across England regularly, contributing some £15.9bn to society each year. The game continues to grow, but the biggest barrier to playing football in England is access to good-quality pitches.

Community sport

1. What is the current quality and availability of facilities for grassroots sport?

Lack of access to facilities remains a significant issue for local communities and is regularly cited as the number one issues in grassroots football. The shortfall in facilities stifles growth in participation, particularly amongst our rapidly growing women and girls' game and other under-represented groups.

We have up-to-date supply and demand information across England as the Football Foundation has Local Football Facility Plans (LFFP) developed with and for every Local Authority in the country.

Unfortunately, despite over £1bn of investment from the partners into grassroots football facilities since 2000, the football facilities landscape is still nowhere near the standard that participants in our national sport deserve. For example,

• Two in three grass pitches are rated as ‘poor’ quality
• 100,000 matches are called off each season due to poor pitches

• Cancelled matches account for the equivalent of over 3,000,000 playing opportunities lost per year because of poor facilities
• A shortage of artificial grass pitches means that there are more than twice as many players for every AGP in England than Germany[1]
• Only 4% of Local Authorities have the number of 3G pitches they need

However, inspired by the successes of the Lionesses and Three Lions, grassroots football is growing rapidly and, by 2028, we expect:

• 100,000 more male players

• 37% increase in the number of players within Disability Football
• 50% increase in the number of female players.

But, in order to meet this demand we need:

• 2,000 more 3G pitches, and
• 12,000 quality grass pitches.

2. What sources of funding are available for grassroots sport and are they sufficient?

Grassroots football facilities in England are delivered by the Football Foundation, which is funded by the Government, Premier League and FA. The Football Foundation was created in 2000 but, after years of underinvestment, we are playing catch-up in making grassroots football facilities fit for purpose and matching supply to demand.

Currently we need at least 2,000 new artificial grass pitches and 12,000 grass pitches to meet demand. We know this because every Local Authorities has its own Local Football Facility Plan (LFFP) which maps the supply and demand in their region. The next update for LFFPs is due early this year.

In terms of the quantum of funding, in 2024/25 the Government provided approximately £100m for grassroots facilities in England (with further proportionate settlements for the rest of the UK). This included the Lionesses Future Fund which was a £30m fund for 30 3G pitches specifically for women and girls football facilities provided after the Lionesses World Cup Final appearance in 2023.

The FA and Premier League provided over £50m together in 2024/25, with local investment providing another £50m to ensure Government’s investment was matched pound for pound by football.

At the time of writing, we are awaiting the budget settlement for 2025/26 and the Comprehensive Spending Review for future years in the Spring. We expect the 2025/26 budget settlement to reduce Government’s investment in football facilities to around £80m, however we hope that the Government will reintroduce the Lionesses Future Fund at the Comprehensive Spending Review in the spring for funding from 2026/27 to return total investment to over £100mpa.

However, even at the increased rate of investment that takes into account the reintroduction of the Lionesses Future Fund, we will not reach the correct quality and volume of facilities until 2045. This has been exacerbated in recent years by huge increases in costs which mean facilities are now, on average, 29% more expensive to deliver than previously. It should be noted that, all facilities now delivered must be able to be self-sufficient, with sinking funds created for future repairs. 

This investment is particularly important now given that England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will be hosting EURO2028 in three years’ time. Having a legacy of facilities ready and in place for the start of the competition is vital in order to capture the sort of participation boost we saw when the Lionesses won EURO2022 on home soil.

We know that the Government is very supportive of investing in grassroots community facilities, with the Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, announcing that she would put “rocket boosters under grassroots sport” when announcing continued investment in grassroots facilities after EURO2024.

Government said after the EUROs that “The legacy of recent England successes to be felt in clubs and schools across the country”.

The Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy added that “the whole country is incredibly proud of England’s performance at Euro 2024 in reaching the final and we congratulate Spain as winners. The Three Lions have once again been a huge inspiration for our future lions and lionesses”.  

“We will make sure that the legacy of recent successes are genuinely felt in communities, far and wide across the country. We’re absolutely committed to making sure every child has access to the sports they love both in schools and in grassroots clubs to not just help uncover the next generation of stars but to help create a healthier nation and change lives for the better”.

The Government announcement continued by saying that “Grassroots football clubs are at the beating heart of communities up and down the country. As we look forward from this moment to EURO 2028, the Government will put these clubs front and centre with a commitment to continued funding for grassroots facilities”. 

We look forward to working with Government to deliver this legacy, and it is worth noting that investing in the Football Foundation does not only support football. Football recognises that it is in a privileged position as England’s national sport. We have the biggest reach and club system, allowing us to be the sport that can provide the volume of activity to help people be physically active and also most likely to provide opportunities to underrepresented communities and women and girls.

However, we believe that the facilities we deliver are community facilities. This means that not only do new facilities have broader community reach by providing meeting spaces, cafes and other facilities like gyms, but 40% of all Football Foundation investments deliver multi-sport facilities. This 40% multi-sport offer is a requirement of the Foundation so will be maintained in future investment.

• How can funds be distributed more effectively and application processes be improved?

From a football perspective, we believe the Football Foundation distributes funds effectively and with an efficient application process.

One part of the overall planning process we would like the Committee to consider is biodiversity net gains. While we support the objectives of BNG policy and the importance of protecting and enhancing natural habitats, we have concerns of its application for not-for-profit sports facilities which see disproportionate costs and inconsistency and delay in application.

While appropriate for large-scale developments, BNG requirements can be extremely restrictive on relatively smaller scale sports facilities projects. For example, the Football Foundation has been quoted a total of £1.94 million for BNG requirements across 70 projects since the policy came into effect. This cost essentially equates to two other community 3Gs not being built.

We would welcome consideration of a discounted BNG credit price for grassroots sports facilities projects and have written, as part of a group of concerned sports, to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

3. How can volunteers be better supported and what is needed to attract and retain more volunteers to grassroots sport?

Grassroots football would not exist without our invaluable volunteers, coaches and referees. We have over one million volunteers, including 160,000 coaches and 37,000 referees.

Over the past four years we have worked hard to serve and support this crucial workforce. There is ongoing work to develop and strengthen our education and support for volunteers, coaches and referees.

A lot has been achieved; our national and County FA grassroots awards have provided an important opportunity to thank those who go above and beyond. We have also created ‘The England Football Family’ free membership scheme to reward and celebrate grassroots volunteers with experiences and prizes – as well as seeing over 20,000 volunteers recognised by their communities and The FA.

However, 25% of volunteers – the people who run and administer clubs – tell us they do not feel valued. Feeling under-appreciated is one of the reasons volunteers leave football. We also know that there is a perceived lack of accessible, affordable, quality education for volunteers, particularly for off-pitch roles.

We are trying to do more to support volunteers, to celebrate and reward the amazing work they do and ensure they have the learning and development they need to effectively fulfil their roles.

We also know that with the game continuing to grow, in the future we’ll need even more volunteers to support the game – that means recruiting more people but also retaining the excellent individuals who already give so much to the game.

We have specific strategies to support our coaches (which you can find here), our referees (here) and our volunteers (here).

4. How can grassroots sport be made more engaging and accessible to under-represented groups?

In football we currently have a record number of women and girls playing the game. We also have a record number of people from Black, Asian, Mixed, and other ethnic backgrounds playing. We also have increased representation of Women, Black, Asian, Mixed, and other ethnic backgrounds within coaching and refereeing.

For example, The FA has the target to increase the number of Black and Asian Referees by 50% by 2026. However, having recruited 2,527 from Black Asian and Mixed Heritage backgrounds since the refereeing strategy was launched in 2023, we have already exceeded this target.

Yet, despite the diversity of our game, we have also seen a 47% rise in racist abuse across all levels and a 44% rise in reports of sexism and misogyny. While we are actively encouraging more reporting, the root cause of these challenges remains core to our work and that of our partners in the game.

Our EDI strategy has a three-pronged approach; boosting representation, driving inclusion and tackling discrimination.

We are boosting representation and the diversity of officials, players, coaches, volunteers and employees. This is being done by developing more ambitious and demanding EDI standards for our County FA’s, highlighting role models; diversifying football’s leadership including England teams; and growing the number of coaches and referees from historically under-represented groups.

We are driving inclusion in order to make everyone involved in the game, in whatever capacity, feel welcome. For example, we are expanding our faith in football series; upskilling CFAs and strengthening our EDI ambassador network; collaborating with stakeholders on campaigns to tackle misogyny and empower women in football; and run Respect campaigns across the game.

In order to tackle discrimination, we are creating a culture where prejudice and abuse is routinely challenged and addressed. We are launching new anti-discrimination standards for grassroots football; building on the Enough is Enough campaign; and educating people on the range of actions they can take and encouraging them to report and tackle discrimination.

You can read more about our new 2024-2028 EDI strategy here.

School sport

5. How can schools better enable children to develop positive and life-long relationships with sport and physical education?

Over the past decade, the focus on PE, sport and physical literacy in schools has steadily decreased. This has been further exacerbated in the last five years by the pandemic which has caused a rise of inactivity among children and a worrying impact on their physical and mental wellbeing.

PE is the only ‘guaranteed’ time where all children are taught how to be physically active. For many children for whom extra-curricular sport is difficult due to their gender, cultural and ethnic background or socio-economic status, it is the only way to access any sport; to try new sports; and find a sport they are passionate about, developing skills that that can support their wider education.

The approach a school has to PE and Sport can influence a young person’s attitude, and perception of access, to sport and physical activity for life. The provision of opportunities and experiences for all young people, not just those with talent and ability, or those with the family support and financial means to access community sport and physical activity.

We have therefore recommended, as part of the Independent Review of the curriculum that:

1. PE and sport is made a core part of the national curriculum from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 4 alongside other STEM subjects.
2. The delivery of PE and sport is reimagined; so that it is delivered to aid learning, health, wellness and provide life skills- not only to provide exercise
3. PE and sport has a guaranteed 2hrs in the curriculum
4. Equal access is provided for all (gender, SEND) meaning the PE and sport offered to boys is offered to all.
5. PE and sport provision in schools is measured; both for its effectiveness and for equal access.
6. PE and sport is delivered by a national network of school centred sport and wellbeing alliances (previously School Games Organisers) providing a dedicated coordination and delivery team working across a family of schools in every community.
7. The above proposals are funded, with no new money, by repurposing current funding such as Primary PE and School Sport Premium, School Games Organisers funding, the Holidays Activities Fund and Opening Up School Facilities Fund.
8. The interim report on the curriculum consultation recommends a review of PE and school sport, with the aim of reimagining its delivery, structure and funding as outlined above.

• What can be done to engage groups with lower participation rates - such as girls, those with disabilities or from lower socio-economic backgrounds?

As highlighted above, all pupils should receive equal access to sports offered at school.

6. How should schools and sports organisations work together to deliver better sporting opportunities for children in and outside of school hours?

The FA works closely with schools to deliver unique and inspiring content for teachers.

For example, we have designed specific content for schools using the magic of Disney to develop physical literacy skills and establish the enjoyment of being active. At a younger age, these sessions are designed not to teach football skills, but physical literacy needed for all sport. We provide digital tools and CPD for teachers and school staff to support them in delivering sessions.

This is an example of using sport not only to support physical literacy, but other core life skills such as teamwork and to support attainment in other subjects.

There is a wealth of evidence to show the value of physical activity in children which should not be forgotten. For example:

• In England, physically literate children and young people are happier, more likely to keep trying until they achieve a goal, and more likely to trust others of a similar age. Sport England (2023) Active Lives Children and Young People Survey- Academic year 2022/23
• Pupils of all ages engaging in self-development activities including sport and physical activity achieved 10-20% higher GCSEs. Lindner K (2002). The physical activity participation – academic performance relationship revisited. Pediatric Exercise Science
• An 11% increase in results in standardised achievement tests has been linked to school programmes that directly improve pupils’ social and emotional learning (including sport programmes). Public Health England (2014) The link between pupil health and wellbeing and attainment
• Primary-aged children doing PE more frequently each week (5-6 hours per week) was associated with greater cognitive performance compared with 3 hours of PE a week (when diet is controlled for). Mind, Brain and Education (2022) Cross-Sectional Association Between Level of School Sports and Different Cognitive Parameters in Schoolchildren, Considering Multiple Covariates

While sport governing bodies cannot deliver sport in every school, it can support in developing content and supporting teachers. More programmes offered by the FA, specifically for girls football, and delivered with our partners Barclays, can be found here.

7. What measures are needed to make the pathway from school to community sport easier?

As highlighted above, The FA would support a national network of school centred sport and wellbeing alliances (previously School Games Organisers) providing a dedicated coordination and delivery team working across a family of schools in every community.

We know this works as this is the model employed to deliver our Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships. Through this work we aim to ensure that every girl has equal access in schools, with the goal of 75% of schools nationally offering girls equal access to football in PE lessons, and 90% of schools nationally offering girls equal opportunities to participate regular extra-curricular football.

The Youth Sport Trust provides day-to-day support to the network to provide training and programmes to deliver. Since 2016, 20,000 schools have joined the 320 Barclays Girls Football Schools Partnerships, meaning 90% of schools are part of the network. This has meant over a quarter of a million girls have participated in the programme and over 6,000 teachers in over 5,000 schools have received training and support.

Governance

8. How effective are national and local government and sport governing body initiatives in delivering school and grassroots sport, and how might they be improved?

As previously highlighted, the delivery of grassroots facilities through the Football Foundation is a tried and tested delivery method which brings together central Government, Local Government and sports bodies (both the FA and Premier League).

More could be done to ensure a robust delivery mechanism for school sport. Please see Q5 where we recommend that PE and sport is delivered by a national network of school centred sport and wellbeing alliances (previously School Games Organisers) providing a dedicated coordination and delivery team working across a family of schools in every community.

This could be funded by repurposing current streams with no new money. Specifically, by using the funding available in the Primary PE and School Sport Premium, School Games Organisers funding, the Holidays Activities Fund and Opening Up School Facilities Fund.

9. How can the Government facilitate better coordination across the sport ecosystem to deliver grassroots and school sport?

Please see Q5 and Q9.

• Is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport successfully leveraging the economic and community benefits of sport and physical activity across Government?

The value of grassroots football should not be underestimated.

15.7m people across England play football regularly contributing £15.9bn to society each year. This includes £11.8bn in direct economic value, £3.2bn in total healthcare savings and £935m in social value.

Football-playing children deliver £110m in health savings for the NHS and 200,000 fewer cases of obesity. Football-playing adults deliver £3.1bn in health savings via reducing cases of physical and mental health disease cases by 259,000.

These figures put the power of sport into context, shows the importance of ensuring Government departments such as DCMS, DH, DfE and HMT are joined up in supporting the delivery of sport in schools and communities; and shows the huge return on investment in Government’s grassroots investment.

DCMS works hard to engage with the other Government departments on delivery, but anything that can be done to ensure a joined-up approach across Government with DCMS playing a central role could be beneficial to grassroots delivery.