UK pledges £85 million for grassroots sport facilities, with half going to the most deprived communities
The UK Government has confirmed £85 million for grassroots sport facilities in 2026/27 — part of a £400 million programme — with at least half directed to the country’s most deprived communities and a focus on including women, girls and disabled players.
SportsGNGV Editorial Team4 min read
Great sporting careers often start on modest ground: a floodlit pitch, a set of goalposts, a community hub open in the evenings. The UK Government is betting on exactly those foundations, confirming £85 million for grassroots sport facilities across the country in 2026/27. The money is part of a wider £400 million boost for grassroots facilities.
The funding, delivered via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, will pay for artificial grass pitches, goalposts, floodlights and community hubs — practical improvements designed to remove barriers to physical activity and keep people active where they live. Applications opened first in England, with Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland to follow, and a further £15 million earmarked for England in 2026/27, including £5 million for basketball invested alongside £5 million from the NBA.
Crucially, the programme is built around fairness. At least half of all funding is set to go directly to the 30% most deprived communities in the UK, targeting the places where good facilities are scarcest and can make the biggest difference. Projects are specifically designed to increase participation among under-represented groups, including women and girls, disabled players and people in disadvantaged areas.
It is the kind of investment that rarely makes headlines but quietly shapes lives — the difference between a young person having somewhere to play and having nowhere at all. By pouring money into local pitches and community spaces rather than elite arenas, the plan aims to make sport a genuine option for far more people, and to ensure the next generation of players, coaches and volunteers has room to grow.
Why it matters
The £85 million pays for pitches, floodlights and community hubs, with at least half going to the 30% most deprived communities. It aims to increase participation among women and girls, disabled players and people in disadvantaged areas.
Sources
What you can do
Read the announcement from the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport. If you help run a local club, check whether the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is open in your nation.
