Football: Finance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve funding for grassroots football facilities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock
The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That’s why the Government is investing £98 million throughout 2025/26 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities UK wide. Funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is invested in England through Sport England and our delivery partner, the Football Foundation. The Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline based on Local Football Facility Plans which have been developed in partnership with local authorities, community FAs and other sport stakeholders.
On top of this, we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years.
The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sports and health club facilities in England, through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.
We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, and will then set out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →