The Football Association is 150 years old later this year and has been supporting football since the day it was founded - 26 October 1863.
A not-for-profit organisation, The FA is the governing body of football in England. It is responsible for growing participation and regulating the sport, so everyone can enjoy it. and invests £100m every year into grassroots football.
The grassroots game has seven million people of all ages playing football in parks, on playgrounds and in organised league football. There are 1,100 such leagues, collectively totalling 29,000 clubs and 115,000 teams. Together, they see approximately two million diverse people play organised football at least once a week.
Helping run the grassroots game throughout the year are 400,000 volunteers, more than 300,000 coaches and 27,000 qualified referees from different backgrounds.
The FA also runs 24 England teams, across men’s, women’s, youth and disability football, who share a new home at St. George's Park.
The FA - Did You Know?
- Seven million people of all ages play football in parks, on playgrounds and in organised league football.
- There are 1,100 leagues, collectively totalling 29,000 clubs and 115,000 teams.
- 300,000 coaches are involved in English football, including 25,000 female coaches.
- 27,000 qualified referees keep the game running.
- 400,000 volunteers help run the grassroots game throughout the year.
- 50 County Associations help develop grassroots football at a local level.
- The FA reinvests £100m into English football every year through Football Foundation Facilities, County FA's and The FA Cup.
- There are 24 England teams, across men’s, women’s, youth and disability football.
- £3.5m will be invested by The FA into the women’s game over the next four years.
- Women’s and girls’ football is currently the nation’s fourth biggest team sport with more than 250,000 playing each month.
For more about the work of The Football Association, click here
