Football for All Men Programme
A programme built around the game men already trust
Most men won’t book a therapy session. A lot of them will turn up for a kickabout, though, especially if a mate’s already going.
Football isn’t a clinical service and isn’t trying to replace one but a midweek 8-a-side game on local astro timed around work and family life can do wonder’s for men’s health and wellbeing because it’s built on the same evidence base the NHS is already using elsewhere.
The state of men's health
- Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK. The male suicide rate is around three times higher than the female rate (ONS)
- Around 13 men take their own lives every day in the UK
- 1 in 5 men report having no close friends, compared to 1 in 8 women
- Men are less likely than women to talk to friends, family or professionals when they’re struggling
- Nearly 70% of men in England are overweight or living with obesity, compared to 59% of women (Office for Health Improvement and Disparities)
- Men in the UK die on average around four years earlier than women (ONS)
- Physical activity declines steadily with age, and team sport drops off fastest of all
What's stopping men getting back on the pitch?
We’ve spent years listening to men explain why they stopped playing and our sessions are shaped by those conversations
Haven't played in years
The longer the gap, the bigger it feels. Men worry they’ll be off the pace or embarrass themselves
Fitness worries and old injuries
The fear of being blowing after ten minutes while everyone else runs past and a dodgy knee, ankle or hamstring from years ago puts men off
Nobody to play with
Mates have moved away, had kids or given up. Group chat kickabouts collapse when three people drop out on the morning. Men give up after being let down a few times
Club commitment
Saturday and Sunday league football demands every weekend, training nights and a full season. Most men can’t promise that
Confidence and standard anxiety
Turning up to an unknown game and finding it’s full of ex-academy players is a real worry. For men going through a rough patch, walking into a group of strangers is the hardest step of all
What gets men playing again?
Regular exercise, routine and genuine social connection are three of the most protective things a man can have. A weekly game of football provides all of them at once
The easiest way back into football
Football is the sport men in the UK grew up playing. Yet most stop long before they’re ready to. Thousands want to play again but don’t know where to start. Football for All exists to change that.
2025 impact numbers
FOOTBALL FOR ALL
Social connections
Opportunities to play
Local communities
Nationalities represented
How Football for All removes barriers
Reliability you can count on
Every Football for All game has a host and a confirmed booking. If you sign up, the game is on
Genuinely inclusive sessions
Our games mix ages, backgrounds and abilities
Built around daily life
Sessions last 60 minutes on local 3G pitches so you’re home within the hour and a half
A place to connect
For many men, their weekly game is the one guaranteed time they see other people outside work and home
Football for All Men Goals
- Weekly men’s social games in every major UK city
- New games in low physical activity locations, where they’re needed most
- Partner with men’s health organisations to reach more men
How to get involved
Players
Go to find a session, book your next game and play.
Volunteers
Go to volunteering opportunities to find out more.
Collaborative effort
We work with football pitch providers, governing bodies, NHS and organisations committed to reshaping the future of football. Together, we can:
- Create inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome
- Provide meaningful opportunities for people to grow
- Deliver scalable, sustainable programmes that create long-term, systemic change