The Premier League's “More than a game” campaign showcases the support it provides for communities and the wider game. We break down the key numbers that show the levels of assistance delivered across the country.
Support for wider football
The Premier League’s financial support covers all 92 Premier League and EFL clubs and 72 National League clubs, as well as women and girls’ football and the grassroots game.
Over the current three-year broadcast rights cycle (2022/23-2024/25), the League has committed to investing £1.6billion to the wider game and communities. Of this, £400m will go to funding projects including the development of facilities and community and education programmes.
It is the biggest voluntary contribution to communities and other good causes of any football league in the world.
Non-league investment
Through the Premier League Stadium Fund, £192.7m has been invested into improving the stadiums and facilities of clubs in the EFL, National League System and Women’s Football Pyramid since 2000.
More than 5,630 grants have been provided to 1,083 clubs across 114 leagues.
The Premier League will provide approximately £16m of financial support to National League clubs in solidarity, Academy and community funding between 2022-2025.
Investing in women’s and girls’ football
The Premier League is investing £21m into women’s and girls’ football between 2022-2025.
Within this is £10.5m for the grassroots game, including £5.25m for the FA’s network of Girls’ Emerging Talent Centres (ETCs) and £3m for a new strategy for the FA Women’s National League.
There are now 73 ETCs open, which have increased the number of young female players in the England talent pathway from 1,722 to almost 5,000 young female players in under two years (a 187 per cent rise).
Grassroots investment
The Premier League has co-funded £1.04bn of investment into the Football Foundation (along with The FA and Government), which has provided more than 71,650 grants to improve grassroots sporting facilities and other projects to benefit the game throughout England.
This investment supported 69,800 teams in the 2022/23 season.
Along with local partner investment, more than £2.2bn has been invested into grassroots facilities since 2000.
Premier League Fans Fund
The Premier League is investing £5m over the next two seasons into initiatives that will help strengthen the bond between clubs, fans and local communities, including programmes for underrepresented groups to further develop an inclusive and welcoming matchday experience for everyone.
Grants between £10,000-£25,000 are being made available to clubs in the Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship.
Support for communities
The Premier League provides funding for 164 football clubs across the Premier League, EFL and National League to deliver community programmes.
The Premier League Charitable Fund (PLCF)
The PLCF was established in 2010 to create positive sporting, health, personal and education opportunities for children, young people and the wider community.
Today, the independent charity supports 106 professional football Club Community Organisations (CCOs), across the Premier League, EFL and National League, to address important societal issues and to have a life-changing impact in their local communities.
More than 2.2m participants on PLCF-funded programmes have benefited from face-to-face delivery, with 1.1m young people engaged annually through digital resources.
The Premier League has invested more than £290m and over 6,200 people are employed by football club charities to deliver activity.
Investment through the PLCF has almost quadrupled in just over a decade, with this season’s funding set to exceed £36m.
The programmes funded through the Premier League Charitable Fund are as follows:
Premier League Kicks
The League’s longest-standing community programme began in the 2006/07 season, providing young people with access to free weekly football and multi-sport sessions, mentoring and education workshops.
It has engaged more than 520,000 young people, delivering over 1m hours of free sessions at 4,900+ venues across England and Wales.
Sessions take place in some of the most-high-need areas, with 90 clubs currently delivering the programme.
More than 21,000 volunteers have helped on Kicks, 93 per cent of whom are former participants, with 20 per cent of the workforce former participants.
The Premier League has invested £81.6m into the programme.
Premier League Primary Stars
Helping children to learn through the power of football in more than 19,000 primary schools across England and Wales.
There have been over 18m attendances by primary school pupils at club-led sessions since 2017, with 104 CCOs across the pyramid delivering sessions.
A total of 1.1m children engage through digital resources per year, with more than 68,000 teachers registered for free downloadable lesson plans, with 91 per cent of teachers saying Primary Stars has increased pupils’ enjoyment of sport.
The total Premier League investment via the PLCF over the last six years is £61.9m.
Premier League Inspires
Using the appeal of football to help young people to develop the personal skills and positive attitude to succeed in life.
More than 29,000 young people have received over 125,000 hours of targeted support across 960+ schools and educational facilities.
Premier League Inspires is delivered by 45 professional football club community organisations, and is supported by the Professional Footballers’ Association and the Premier League.
More than £11.1m has been invested into the programme, via the PLCF.
Premier League and PFA Community Fund
Helping clubs to develop partnerships to tackle inequalities and respond to local needs, the fund has engaged more than 230,000 participants in over 330,000 sessions across England and Wales.
There are 24 club charities funded to deliver at more than 4,100 venues across England and Wales.
To support delivery, more than £46m of funding from the Premier League and PFA has been distributed to CCOs by the PLCF over the last 14 years.
Premier League and PFA Core Funding
Supporting Club Community Organisations to become stronger, more sustainable organisations, underpinning key infrastructure and a network of more than 6,000 staff and volunteers.
More than £48m of funding from Premier League and PFA has been distributed by the PLCF to date.
Economic and social impact
An independent EY study, focusing on the 2021/22 season, the first Premier League campaign with full stadiums following the COVID -19 pandemic, highlighted how the Premier League and its clubs drive significant economic activity across the UK, supporting thousands of jobs, creating expenditure across supply chains and generating sizeable tax revenue.
· The contribution of Premier League clubs to the UK economy grew to £8bn in 2021/22 – a 1,000 per cent increase from the 1998/99 season.
· The League and clubs generated a total tax contribution of £4.2bn in 2021/22, £1.7bn of which was accounted for by Premier League players and staff.
· The League and clubs supported more than 90,000 jobs in the UK.
· The League’s significant contribution is spread throughout the country, with £5bn of the League’s economic footprint located in regions outside London in 2022/23.
· The League drives £3.3bn of economic impact in the North West of England, with 33,000 jobs supported in that region.
