LONDON FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION KICKS OFF ‘LONDON FOR ALL’ STRATEGIC PLAN TO IMPROVE GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL – London Post

London Football Association (LFA) has launched a new four-year strategic initiative, ‘London For All,’ aimed at enhancing grassroots football across the capital.

London FA, which has been in existence since 1882, serves as a cornerstone of grassroots football throughout London. With over 950 clubs, 5,500 teams, and 70,000 registered players, including 30,000 youth players and 650 players with disabilities, London FA is instrumental in promoting football as a key social and cultural activity across London.

The association has today revealed its 2024-2028 vision and strategy, ‘London For All’, as well as a fresh, modernised brand it hopes will resonate and appeal to a new generation of football enthusiasts, as it embarks on a journey from regulator to a more externally focused service organisation.

The organisation’s new strategy is set out to complement the FA’s own Grassroots Football Strategy for 2024 – 2028, and aims to address five core elements:

Improving playing choice and experience for all by embracing different football formats and providers. This includes the target to develop and grow disability football to over 900 participants, providing 79 new playing opportunity sessions.
Deliver equal opportunities for women and girls to play by growing female participation to 12,970, including 215 new female casual playing opportunities.
Build more and improve existing facilities by supporting the development of 9 new 3G pitches and improve the quality of 336 grass pitches.
Tackle poor behaviour on and off the pitch by delivering high quality and more efficient discipline and safeguarding case management.
Develop a valued network of volunteers, coaches, and referees by growing our match official pool to 1,444, our volunteer workforce to over 5,800, and our coaching workforce to over 5,360.

To celebrate London for All, London FA visited a core representative of each strategic pillar over a 24-hour period, with each of them taking part in a symbolised “pass”. This was kicked off by Gavin Davies, Secretary of Parkwood Rangers, who champions the ‘Build more and improve existing facilities’ pillar, alongside Paul Bickerton, Chief Executive Officer of London FA.
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Parkwood Rangers recently celebrated the completion of their state-of-the-art 3G football pitch, turning their vision into reality with support from the Football Foundation and funding from the club. This facility will be a vital resource for the local community, promoting grassroots football and supporting 31 teams across all ages, genders, and abilities. Parkwood Rangers truly exemplify the commitment to making high-quality, accessible facilities available to all.

The organisation then visited four of its flagship clubs to spotlight the people and players who are playing their role in improving grassroots football across the city. From City Hall, London FA went to Lambeth Tigers FC and ended at United Dragons FC, with each participating club symbolically passing a London FA football to the next club, representing solidarity between teams across London’s boroughs and signifying how football unites communities across the capital.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Patron of the London FA, voiced his support for the new strategy, saying: “Grassroots football is the heartbeat of our communities, bringing people from all backgrounds together and fostering a sense of pride and unity across our city. I’m proud to support the London FA’s ‘London For All’ strategy, which is committed to making football more inclusive and accessible for everyone – regardless of age, gender, or ability. I’m delighted by the vision to build more and improve existing facilities, so key in enabling the sport to be more accessible to all Londoners. This initiative will make a real, positive difference in the lives of Londoners, strengthening the role of grassroots football in our capital and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.”

Paul Bickerton, CEO of London FA, added: “Today is a really proud day for the London FA as we reveal months of hard work and consultation with our members, the FA, and our neighbouring County FA colleagues. Based on the FA’s grassroots football framework, London For All is focused on tackling inequalities and uniting communities through football, especially as participation surges among women, girls, and players with disabilities. Our vision is to serve London’s grassroots football family, and by working with our wonderful army of volunteers and professional stakeholders, I sincerely believe this new strategic direction will help us inspire that positive change across our great capital city.”

The initiative is part of London FA’s rebrand under the message ‘London For All,’ underscoring its commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Whether through 11-a-side matches or shorter game formats, the goal is to ensure football remains accessible to all, across every corner of the capital.

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