Wembley in the Community Pitch Day returns for local school children

Friday 17 Jan 2025
The Wembley in the Community Pitch Day returned for a second year

Inspiring; a dream come true; amazing. Just some of the words used by school children to describe taking part in Wembley in the Community’s Pitch Day which took place in December last year at the home of English football.

More than 100 students were presented with the opportunity to grace Wembley Stadium’s hallowed turf and follow in the footsteps of their heroes, taking part in matches and drills with local, FA-approved coaches, and even a penalty shootout with England mascot, Paws.

“One of the things that I love about this role is when we open our opportunities out to young children from the local area – whether it’s them watching a match from our Community Box and experiencing that with Hospitality or walking through the players’ tunnel and seeing the pitch for the very first time – for us, it’s that reaction that they get,” said Saira Mirza, CSR Manager at the FA. “It’s almost like shock and awe.

“For us, football has a unique power of bringing people together, uniting communities and breaking down barriers. We really understand the importance that Wembley Stadium and St George’s Park both play in our local communities in both Brent and Burton."

The children were also taken on a tour of the players’ block and press room facilities during their day out at Wembley.

“For our kids, it’s probably the biggest thing that could happen to them,” explained Angelique Hunter of Brentfield Primary School in London. “The excitement has been huge for it.

“We’ve done a few things before at Wembley like some of the tours and through the Learning Zone but this is the first time they’ve come and stepped foot on the pitch.

“For our kids, football means everything to them and it’s such a huge part of our community. It’s memories they’re not going to forget.”

Over the course of the last 12 months, over 20,000 complimentary tickets were donated to local residents, members of our clubs, other charities and good causes.

Over 100 students graced the famous Wembley turf

The Wembley Community Club provides access to tickets, stadium tours, mascot places and meeting places at both Wembley Stadium and St George’s Park, while the Learning Zone is Wembley’s educational hub which has seen over 60,000 students come through its doors since 2007.

“We’re really close by to the stadium,” added Kevin McCrann of Preston Manor School. “We’re only about a mile away and having Wembley Stadium in the background and having the opportunity to play here, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“They’ll be able to tell their parents, their friends and their relatives the chance that when they were eleven or 12 years old, they had the chance to play at Wembley Stadium.”

By Holly Hunt Content Editor