England’s Football Foundation welcomes new funding for grassroots facilities

Avatar

The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation have welcomed the news that a further £205m (over $371m) of government funding will be made available to invest in community sports facilities across England for the next three years.

The investment, which was announced by the Chancellor during a Comprehensive Spending Review, will be used by the Football Foundation to target communities up and down the UK who will benefit most from access to better sports facilities.

These regions reflect the priority areas set out by the Government in its ‘Levelling Up Agenda’ – 70 percent of Football Foundation funding will be going to category 1 and 2 areas identified by the Government across England.

This new funding will provide welcome support to the grassroots football community as the nation begins to rebuild from Covid-19.

The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports charity and exists to deliver outstanding grassroots football facilities, which means better games and more players – helping transform communities where demand is greatest and impact will be strongest. Since it was formed 21 years ago, the Foundation and its partners have unlocked £1.8bn ($3.2bn) of investment in grassroots football.

Football Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Robert Sullivan:

“This investment is welcome news for all those involved in grassroots football across the country. We know that playing on good quality facilities helps people get fitter, improves mental wellbeing, grows confidence and builds stronger relationships. This is all essential for individuals and communities as we emerge out of the Covid-19 crisis,” he said.

“With the government, Premier League and The FA’s investment, we have made plenty of progress in the last two decades, but there is still lots of work to do to ensure all communities across England get the standard of local sports facilities they need and deserve. This new funding will unlock the power of even more pitches to help transform people’s lives.”

The FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham:

“This investment into grassroots football pitches and multi-sport facilities is fantastic news for communities throughout the country. It will help the nation get active as we emerge from the impact of Covid,” he said.

“This is an important part of the Government’s £550m commitment to transform our grassroots football infrastructure, which will have a massive social and economic impact.”

Previous ArticleNext Article

Tottenham Hotspur deliver player development workshop for Football NSW

Avatar
Image credit: Football NSW

The workshop focused on sharing knowledge and insights regarding player development, bringing together more than 120 coaches from across NSW with those from Tottenham Hotspur.

 

Experience, insight and education

Valentine Sports Park hosted the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshop, uniting Football NSW coaches and members of Tottenham Hotspur’s coaching staff to encourage discussion and learning opportunities about player development.

Tottenham’s player development pathway – from the academy to the first team – has produced some of the most respected names in Premier League history, including Harry Kane and Ledley King.

Under the leadership and guidance of Tottenham Hotspur Player & Coach Pathway Co-ordinator (and UEFA A Licence Coach), Jimmy Martin, as well as members of Tottenham’s coaching staff, Shannon Maloney, Kevin Moffatt and Tyler Blackwood, the workshop was a unique opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced coaches in the game.

“Coach education is a vital part of developing football across NSW, and having more than 120 coaches attend this workshop highlights the appetite within our football community to continue learning and improving,” explained Football NSW Head of Football, Edward Ferguson.

Ferguson continued to outline the value of learning from an organisation like Tottenham Hotspur, a team who have helped grow some of the game’s most exceptional talents. The lessons taken will consequently help to inform future approaches to coaching in NSW.

“The focus remains on creating better learning environments for players, encouraging decision-making, creativity and long-term development.”

What the workshop involved

The workshop encouraged coaches to dive into all aspects of player development: the technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects which contribute to the English academy setup.

Furthermore, Maloney, Moffatt and Blackwood – all of whom helped deliver a practical session for attendees – showed how a club’s playing identity can work alongside challenging training environments for players.

Game understanding, creative problem-solving and technical proficiency underpinned the main themes driving the workshop. In an age where individual expression on the pitch appears a dying art, Tottenham Hotspur coaches remain committed to encouraging players to feel confident adapating to a range of in-game scenarios.

Football NSW coaches were also able to attend a Q&A session with King, who spoke about his playing experiences for both club and country.

 

Final thoughts

As Australia continues to nurture the current and upcming generations of talented footballers, workshops such as this are a vital, fundamental part of the journey.

The fastest way to be among the best is to learn from them. The aim now is for Football NSW coaches to take the lessons learned, and apply them to football development in their own academies and teams across the state.

Ninja unveiled as major partner for A-League Women All Stars

Avatar
Image Credits: A Leagues

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has unveiled the official 2026 Ninja A-League All Stars playing kit, while confirming global lifestyle brand Ninja as the team’s new major partner ahead of this month’s clash with Chelsea FC Women.

Manufactured by Kappa Australia, the new kit will be worn by the Ninja A-League All Stars when they face Women’s Super League champions Chelsea at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, as part of the Sydney Super Cup.

The announcement further strengthens Ninja’s growing presence in Australian football after becoming the naming rights partner of the Ninja A-League earlier this year. The partnership extends the global brand’s investment in the women’s game and places it front and center for one of the league’s biggest showcase fixtures.

Kappa Australia will once again supply the match apparel, continuing its association with the A-League All Stars concept. The new design is intended to celebrate the occasion while reflecting the continued growth and professionalism of women’s football in Australia.

The fixture against Chelsea provides the Ninja A-League All Stars with another opportunity to test themselves against elite international opposition, following the competition’s continued expansion as a marquee event on the Australian football calendar.

Supporters will be able to purchase the official playing jersey at Allianz Stadium on matchday, through Ultra Football and via Kappa Australia’s online store.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend