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Football: Finance

Asked by Rupert LoweRestore BritainDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled Answered 7 July 2026UIN 14299

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department or its arm's length bodies, including Sport England, have issued to organisations such as County Football Associations on maintaining neutrality when delivering inclusion or community programmes in receipt of government funding.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock

Neither Sport England nor the Football Foundation fund political campaigning or religious activity, as this is prohibited under National Lottery funding regulations. As such there is no definition of political and religious neutrality that applies to County Football Associations in receipt of public funding.

Sport England-funded partners are required to comply with the terms and conditions of their funding agreements and, where applicable, the requirements of the Code for Sports Governance. The Football Association and the Football Foundation are Tier 3 organisations under the Code and are therefore required to have and annually review and publish Diversity and Inclusion Action Plans.

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