Sir Keir Starmer has said his Government will aim to break down “barriers of opportunity” to playing football as he seeks to capitalise on the England team’s success in Euro 2024.
The Prime Minister, a keen amateur footballer, said his Government will work to ensure the legacy of Gareth Southgate’s team reaching the Euro 2024 final and that of the Lionesses at the Women’s World Cup last year.
This work is expected to include support for grassroots football clubs and improving access to sport in schools.
England ultimately lost to Spain 2-1 in the Euros final in Berlin with Sir Keir watching from the crowd alongside the Prince of Wales and Prince George.
Made it to Berlin.
Come on @England 🏴 pic.twitter.com/cOhYWjEuhV
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 14, 2024
The Prime Minister said the team had “excited and gripped us all with their talent and determination in never giving up” despite their loss.
He added: “Playing each week, I know the importance and joy that football and sport more widely brings to so many people.
“Inspired by the Three Lions, we are breaking down the barriers to opportunity which stops the new generation of footballers from taking to the field and will celebrate those who keep the beautiful game alive in our communities and clubs.”
On Monday, Downing Street reiterated Sir Keir’s message to the England team, but declined to be drawn on whether Southgate would receive a knighthood.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “He has provided great leadership, he has done the country proud, but I wouldn’t get into commentary around honours.”
The Government plans to provide more support to grassroots football clubs, including by supporting the Football Association in its ambition to double the number of gold-standard community clubs by the time the first ball is kicked at Euro 2028.
The Football Foundation will also be supported to continue a scheme to transfer the ownership and maintenance of grassroots football pitches directly to clubs and community organisations.
The Prime Minister is mulling over steps to recognise the work of volunteers, coaches, referees and groundskeepers at grassroots clubs, with further steps to be announced in the near future.
Elsewhere, ministers aim to expand access to sport in schools, including through an upcoming expert-led review of the curriculum, and to tackle barriers to children participating in sport in schools, such as costly PE kits.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy hinted at the Football Governance Bill’s return – as soon as the King’s Speech on Wednesday.
“It will be a top priority for me, so I think you can read into that that there’ll be early action from this Government,” she told Times Radio on Monday.
“I’m very keen that it becomes an issue that we take party politics out of and that we get behind the fans, we get behind grassroots football, and we get behind kids in this country who deserve the right standards so that those kids who were watching the game last night dreaming that one day it might be them – my job is to make sure that we put rocket boosters under that, whether it’s through more action at grassroots football which we’re announcing today or through protecting those middle-tier clubs.”
Her predecessors in the Conservative government tabled the Football Governance Bill, which proposed an independent football regulator to promote teams’ financial sustainability and a block on breakaway competitions such as the European Super League, but the law did not cross all the hurdles it needed to in the Houses of Parliament to become law before the General Election.
