NEW FA REPORT VALUES THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL IN HAMPSHIRE AT OVER £442m

The Football Association [The FA] has today launched a new report that explores the social and economic value of adult grassroots football in England.

With the game’s governing body investing over £1 million each week into the grassroots game to support the 8 million adults who regularly play football, it commissioned the report, which is the first of its kind for the FA, to set out the contribution of adult grassroots football to the nation’s economy and wellbeing.

The report found that regular grassroots football in England has a social wellbeing value of £8.7bn, with players reporting significantly higher levels of general health, confidence, motivation and trust compared with those who play other sports. Lower income groups in particular were found to experience some of the greatest quality-of-life benefits from football compared with higher income groups, specifically in their health and confidence levels. 

In addition to social benefits, the direct economic value of grassroots football was found to be £2.1bn each year, while the report also found that the health benefits of playing regular grassroots football produces a cost saving of £43.5m per year to the NHS through reduced GP visits alone.

While at a national level grassroots football contributes £10.8bn in social and economic value, this equates to around £442m in Hampshire, based on the amount of football played in the county. 

Despite this value, only one in three grass pitches are of adequate quality across the country, while one in six matches are called off due to poor pitch quality. This is why The FA is in the middle of a nationwide analysis, creating demand-led assessments of the pitch supply needs of every local authority in England through the creation of local football facility plans.

Mark Bullingham, The FA’s Chief Commercial and Football Development Officer, said:

“This research demonstrates the significant impact that grassroots football has on every part of the country and is a tribute to the great work that Hampshire FA do every day. 

We’ve always known that amateur football makes a huge contribution to our economy and society in so many ways and it’s fantastic to have that proved now.”

Neil Cassar, Hampshire FA CEO, said:

“Football plays such a major role in society and it is important that we understand and not under estimate the power of football and how participation positively impacts on social wellbeing and economic growth in Hampshire and the wider community”.

To read the full report, click HERE. 

About The FA

The Football Association [The FA] is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game, and successfully generates enough revenue to support the investment of £180m into English football each year. 

The FA oversees 28 England international teams, across men’s, women’s, youth and disability football, as well as running FA Competitions, including the Emirates FA Cup and SSE Women's FA Cup, and the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park, all with a purpose to Unite the Game and Inspire the Nation.