The FA welcomes the Government’s commitment to the future of the Football Foundation.

The Foundation has been very successful in supporting The FA’s work in increasing both the level of participation and the quality of facilities in our national game, and we welcome the stability that direct exchequer funding will provide.

The FA also looks forward to contributing to Patrick Carter’s review of the possible creation of a National Sports Foundation, and can contribute the lessons learned from the early days of the Football Foundation.

The FA is disappointed with the small increase in budget allocation of 2.3% to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The FA has worked with the DCMS and Sport England in recent months to prepare a strong case for increased levels of government funding, and feels that this marginal increase will not deliver the step change in participation rates demanded by the Government’s own targets.

In the last three years, by putting resources in the right areas, The FA Football Development Strategy has seen remarkable rises in participation in different sections of the game:

  • 31.5% in mini soccer
  • 27% in youth soccer
  • 53% in girls’ and women’s soccer
  • 25.2% in small-sided soccer

If the Government aspires to match these increases and tackle the nation’s growing concerns over obesity-related health problems, far more resources will be required for sport and physical activity.

Much of The FA’s work relates to the objectives the Chancellor has set for the Departments for Education and Health, in particular the targets he has set for improving sport in schools and tackling obesity and making people healthier through exercise.

In future months, The FA will engage in discussions with these departments to offer our contribution to their work, and seek partnerships to help Government meet the tough targets it has set itself.

This will require greater funding than that given to DCMS and we hope that further partnerships with Health and Education, along with the relevant resources, will be made available.

We look forward to suggesting ways that the Government can meet its targets.