THE FA LAUNCHES ‘THE ENGLAND FOOTBALL FAMILY’ TO CELEBRATE GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL VOLUNTEERS.

The Football Association [The FA] has announced the national launch of a new brand platform, The England Football Family, that aims to recognise, reward and celebrate grassroots football volunteers. The England Football Family manifesto video can be found HERE.

The England Football Family launched at The Grassroots Football Awards, a ceremony celebrating grassroots volunteers from around the country that took place at Wembley Stadium connected by EE, ahead of The FA Community Shield Final on Saturday. The new vibrant brand identity and voice will raise the profile of volunteering across the country to retain, recruit and reward grassroots volunteers from all communities, all year round.

Volunteers are the heart and soul of grassroots football with around 860,000 people supporting and growing the game they love. Through The England Football Family, The FA is highlighting the importance of these individuals aiming to connect the volunteer workforce. Alongside this, as members of The England Football Family, volunteers will gain access to development opportunities for a wide range of roles across the game to support them to thrive and grow. Volunteers will also have access to rewards like ticket offers, exclusive England Football partner offers and priceless experiences for themselves or their club or league. 

To celebrate grassroots volunteers and drive mass awareness of the new platform, The England Football Family branding featured heavily at The FA Community Shield in and around Wembley Stadium including on lampposts down Olympic Way where volunteers were showcased in their roles in the lead up to the iconic stadium. The new brand logo took centre stage on the centre circle banner as well as on the handshake arch, the Final programme and digital boards throughout the stadium.

James Kendall, The FA’s Director of Football Development, said: “Volunteers are the lifeblood of grassroots football, who dedicate their time to ensure that England Football is a safe and enjoyable environment for people to flourish. We see and hear the value of our volunteer network every single day which is why I’m delighted to announce the launch of The England Football Family.

“We’ll be continuing to invest in our valued volunteer community as we recognise the passion, talent and dedication from every volunteer, in every club, through every league. This new brand platform enables us to bring together and empower volunteers, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and inspired to make lasting impact in their community.

“The best part is that anyone can get involved in grassroots football and become part of The England Football Family.”

To support the launch, England football legend John Barnes paid a visit to MSB Woolton, the largest UK grassroots football club, to meet with volunteers and to see firsthand their impact on the local community.

Speaking about his visit, John Barnes said: “It was amazing to be at MSB Woolton, the largest grassroots club in the UK, and pay a surprise visit to the volunteers who dedicate so much of their time to providing opportunities and access to football for young children in the area.

“What these volunteers do is so important, allowing these kids to be part of a family, teaching them values and life skills and supporting the community. They all have such a passion for football and want to give back to the sport they love. It’ great to see and hopefully encourages many more people to get involved.”

From coaches and referees, to groundspeople and club secretaries; there are volunteering opportunities for all. To find out more information on how you can get involved with and become part of The England Football Family, go to Volunteer | England Football