For years, not having enough quality pitches has been a big issue for community football, including Football for All. But that could be changing. The UK Government has announced a £400 million investment in grassroots sport and community football facilities. This is part of a wider £900 million package linked to major sporting events and local sport.

The new funding is aimed at promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion. A high quality football pitch is safer and more fun to play on. In towns and cities without enough good fields, the new money can really change how people live and connect.

Much of the money will go toward building and improving local football pitches, especially modern 4G and 3G surfaces. These advanced pitches are built to last and can be played on even in bad weather. For local teams and casual players, this grassroots football investment is a huge opportunity.

Upgrading local pitches with 3G/4G technology

4G and 3G pitches have become essential for year-round community sport. Traditional grass fields can only sustain so much use and are at the mercy of weather. Many amateur teams know the frustration of waterlogged or frozen grass pitches. According to the FA close to 100,000 grassroots games are cancelled each year because their grass pitch became unplayable in bad weather.

Advanced artificial grass surfaces drain rainwater quickly and dry fast, so they are extremely reliable. Compared with normal grass, these surfaces resist wear and tear and can handle heavy use. That means local games can be scheduled without fear of washouts. A single 3G football pitch can handle around 30 games a week, far more than a muddy grass field.

Most new 4G and 3G pitches also have floodlights, so games can continue after dark. This means working people and students can play evening games and make it easier to fit football around busy lives. With these all weather surfaces, casual players can play year round. More games and training sessions can be held, which means more chances for people to stay active.

Benefits for communities and underrepresented Groups

Investing in local sports infrastructure has wide-reaching benefits. First and foremost, it improves physical health by making active lifestyles easier. But it also brings social benefits like giving young adults a positive outlet, reducing isolation and even preventing crime and anti-social behaviour by engaging people in a constructive pastime. The government explicitly wants this £400m to ‘remove the barriers to physical activity’ that some groups face.

The investment saves public money in the long term. Chair of Sport England, Chris Boardman, said: ‘Every £1 spent on community sport and physical activity brings £4.20 back into the economy.’

Football for All brings local insight

Football for All is already at the heart of grassroots football. We organise over 2,500 local football games every month in 51 local authorities. 61% of the games are organised in deprived areas. Our sessions welcome players of all ages and skill levels to play casually.

Including Football for All in local consultations could lead to more games and more people getting involved. Improving just one pitch to a 3G or 4G surface can allow dozens of extra fixtures each week for hundreds of extra players. The new investment directly supports this by giving players safe, reliable places to enjoy the game.

As a community benefit organisation our strength is local knowledge. We run games in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Leeds, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and many other parts of the UK. Our game hosts live in the communities they serve and see every week which facilities are needed. We collect feedback from players and know exactly where the demand is highest. This on the ground insight helps show where new facilities would benefit local communities most. By working together, we can make sure that the grassroots football investment goes to the places and people that need it most.

Local impact in key regions

While this funding is nationwide, certain regions stand out as priorities for grassroots development due to their population size and current facility gaps. London, as the UK’s largest city, has an enormous grassroots football scene but also intense pressure on pitches. Many Londoners can attest to how scarce and expensive 3G pitch time is, especially for casual community groups. The new investment gives a chance to build additional all-weather pitches in under-served boroughs and upgrade aging astroturf in others.

Football For All’s strong presence in London running over 100 community games every day demonstrates both the appetite for informal football and the impact of providing more facilities. With London also hosting international events (e.g. some EURO 2028 matches), there’s momentum to create a lasting grassroots legacy in the capital.

It’s worth noting that this is a UK-wide initiative. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving dedicated portions of the grassroots facilities funding, delivered via their respective Football Associations. So, communities from the Glasgow area to the Welsh valleys to County Antrim will also see new pitches and improvements. For instance, the Scottish FA and partners will be funding projects ranging from new 3G pitches in local clubs to better changing rooms and accessibility features, with at least half the money directed to the most deprived communities. Such an inclusive, nationwide approach ensures that major cities and smaller towns alike can benefit.

What’s next for community Football for All?

Overall, the government’s focus on grassroots football is a big step forward. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Britain’s sporting landscape at the community level. By focusing on 3G and 4G astro pitches and other all-weather upgrades, it tackles one of the biggest practical hurdles that local sports clubs and informal groups face, which is access to quality, reliable places to play.

Moving forward, we urge local authorities to involve Football for All in plans and consultations. It will help ensure that new facilities are not just built for communities but developed with community input and activism. From the biggest city to the smallest village, the end goal is the same. To get more people on to the pitch and enjoying the benefits of sport wherever they live. If done right, this investment will leave a legacy of healthier, more connected communities and truly bring football for all to life across the UK.