The Board met on 21 and 22 April 2026 and set out below are the main discussion points.
Martin Glenn and Robert Sullivan, Chair and CEO of the Football Foundation; James Kendall, our Director of Football Development; and Phil Woodward, Head of Clubs & Facilities, presented an overview of the Football Foundation. This independent charity serves as the strategic delivery vehicle for The FA, Premier League and Government to tackle the challenge of improving grassroots football facilities. Since establishment in 2000, the Football Foundation has invested nearly £1.3 billion in grants. However, we recognise that the increasing growth in the grassroots game - particularly with more women and girls now playing - creates additional demand on the provision of good pitches, and we discussed how in partnership we can respond to that challenge.
We set our budget on a seasonal basis and Alan Broadbent, our Finance Director, presented on the business planning and budget forecast ahead of the 2026-27 season. The Board will approve the budget at its next meeting in July 2026.
As a Sports Governing Body, we sometimes lack the agility to partner with small business start ups who bring innovative technology which are of benefit to the wider game. David Prime, our Head of Strategy, Insights & Data Analytics, brought a proposal on how we might engage with start-up businesses. The Board supported the principle and will give further consideration to how this could work operationally.
St George’s Park (SGP) is our National Football Centre and home to the many England teams. The facility first opened in 2012, and we are conscious of the need to maintain a level of investment to ensure that it remains world leading. Dan Ashworth our Chief Football Officer, and Andy Savery, the General Manager of SGP, presented an update on proposed improvements to the facilities, which the Board approved.
The Grassroots 2040 project is about transforming the way that The FA and County FAs support and lead the grassroots game in England, and the Board has received regular updates as the project progresses. James Kendall, Paul Dolan, Senior Lead for the project, and Meena Botros, our General Counsel, presented on the engagement with County FAs on areas such as the future funding model, boundary reviews and shared services.
Mark Lynch, Wembley Stadium Director, has been leading on a long-term investment project which seeks to maintain the stadium’s status as a world leading venue for football and other events. Mark took the Board through the challenges, including competition from other venues, and the investment options to improve the guest experience and utilise Wembley as a year-round venue.
Richard McDermott, our Company Secretary, presented to the Board on areas we would like to progress as part of the next evolution of our corporate governance.
