People across the UK will benefit from upgraded sports facilities in their local area thanks to £100 million invested by government.

• Major package to upgrade hundreds of local grassroots sports facilities with new and improved pitches, changing rooms, goalposts and floodlights
• Investment will target deprived areas and support greater access and participation levels among under-represented groups
• At least 40% of funded projects have a multi-sport offer ensuring more can participate and get active as the Government delivers its Plan for Change

People across the UK will benefit from upgraded sports facilities in their local area thanks to £100 million invested by government today.

Working together with the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation in England, the Cymru Football Foundation in Wales, and the Football Associations in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the funding is expected to support hundreds of new and improved pitches, changing rooms, goalposts and floodlights to improve access to sport and physical activity for local communities.

It will be targeted at deprived areas and support greater access and participation levels among under-represented people including women and girls, ethnic minority groups and disabled players.

The major package delivers on the Government’s Plan for Change, with the funding designed to break down barriers to opportunity and tackle persistent health inequalities through prevention, that will support an NHS fit for the future. These facilities also encourage communities to come together and give young people opportunities to build vital skills and connections while creating a sense of purpose and pride in where they live.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the funding during a visit to Bonnyrigg Rose Community Football Club, a grassroots football facility in Midlothian, Scotland which supports over 700 players.

The funding will be invested in sites during 2025/26, with £82.3 million allocated to projects in England (including a £2 million uplift of new investment committed in the current financial year), £8.6 million in Scotland, £6.1 million in Wales and £3 million in Northern Ireland.

It follows the Culture Secretary’s pledge to inspire the next generation as the Lionesses go to UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 this summer as defending champions, and England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland look ahead to hosting UEFA EURO 2028.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

Grassroots sport clubs are at the heart of communities across the UK. That’s why we’re investing £100 million to support new and upgraded pitches, changing rooms and clubhouses across the country, providing transformational funding to the areas that need it most.

As we deliver our Plan for Change, we will remove barriers to an active lifestyle and increase opportunity for all, ensuring that wherever people may live, they can access high quality sports facilities and experience the joy that sport brings.

Government funding through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is amplified by significant contributions by The FA and Premier League in England. Delivery partners also leverage investment from local stakeholders through initiatives such as the Scottish FA and Scottish Football Partnership Trust’s ‘Pitching in’ campaign which aims to raise £50 million for football facilities over the next five years.

Of the funded projects, at least 40% will have a multi-sport offer so that more people can participate in sports other than football, meaning more people can get access to a wider variety of sports and activities that appeal to them including rugby, cricket and basketball.

Clubs and organisations across the UK are now being urged to come forward and apply for funding. Applications can be made in England via the Football Foundation on an ongoing basis, and in Wales via the Cymru Football Foundation. Dedicated windows are opening shortly in Scotland and Northern Ireland with those interested encouraged to check relevant FA websites for more details. The first tranche of beneficiaries are expected to be confirmed in summer 2025.

Editors: 

• Physical inactivity is associated with 1 in 6 deaths in the UK , which costs the taxpayer billions each year and exacerbates existing inequalities. We know access to appropriate facilities is one of the key barriers to activity.
• The FA’s Social Return on Investment 2024 report estimates the 15.7 million participants involved in grassroots football contribute £11.8 billion to society in direct economic value, as well as over £3.2 billion in savings to the NHS through prevention of diseases.