Fun Football Impact

Fun Football is for Everybody

At Fun Football, we believe football should be enjoyed by everyone!

We believe that football should be a sport for everyone, regardless of experience or skill level. We are working hard with our partners to ensure our Fun Football Sessions, Festivals and Activities are becoming ever more inclusive so every child aged 5-11 can get involved in the programme in some way. We are working with a number of exciting partners including UKFA’s, British Blind Sport, Children in Need,England Futsal and Kick it Out, increasing the reach and accessibility of our free Fun Football opportunities.

Here’s some feedback from our sessions:

All 3 boys had a fantastic time yesterday and both coaches were an absolute credit to your team. It is not often you find people to be so accommodating, especially for a child with autism.

The coach's commitment to providing high-quality soccer instruction has not only helped improve the skills of my children but has also created an environment where every child feels valued and encouraged to excel.

Children in Need

BBC Children in Need believe every child deserves the chance to thrive, and together, we can make this happen. CiN partner with sectors to help create lasting change for young people so they can go on to be the best they can be by offering the right support, to the right place, at the right time. CiN and Fun Football ensure our sessions are growing into areas where they are needed most, so every child gets a chance to get involved in the game they love.

Kick it Out

Kick it Out was set up to fight racism in football in 1993. In 1997 they expanded to tackle all forms of discrimination. This is achieved through raising awareness, confronting issues, running education programmes for academy players, parents and fans. Kick it Out campaigns to make sure football is always welcoming. They support Fun Football to upskill it’s coaches to make them better able to identify address discrimination and to educate parents and children.

England Futsal

England Futsal is an independent futsal organisation working in partnership with The FA and other organisations to deliver and operate participation & performance level futsal, and how this can be adapted for use to support those with impaired movement.

British Blind Sport

British Blind Sport is the national sports charity for children and adults with sight loss in the UK. They use the power of sport to change the lives of people with sight loss and support them to lead more active, healthy and independent lives.

Our Coaches

All McDonald’s Fun Football Coaches are a minimum Level 1 FA Level 1 or equivalent qualified. We work with our partners to upskill our coach sin various DEI competencies . in February over 80 Fun Football coaches attended the inaugural education development day to partake in practical and theory sessions, led by British Blind Sport, Kick It Out, and England Futsal, covering how to tackle unconscious bias, adapting sessions for children with visual impairment and how the fundamentals of Futsal can be used in Pan-Disability sessions.

Joining coaches on the day were Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes, Tottenham under-18s coach, Jermain Defoe, and former Paralympian and current England CP Assistant Coach, Jack Rutter.

Chelsea Women’s Manager, Emma Hayes

“McDonald’s Fun Football is not just about kicking a ball in a goal – it’s about showing children there is a place for them and building a sense of community and confidence. There are clear gaps in the education offered to grassroots coaches when it comes to supporting players with additional needs and that is exactly why days like today and the ongoing development McDonald’s Fun Football will provide their coaching network is so important.

Tottenham Under-18s Coach, Jermain Defoe

“McDonald's Fun Football teaming up with Kick It Out, England Futsal, and British Blind Sport is a real game-changer for grassroots coaches. These new qualifications mean coaches will be able to implement their new skills across UK communities and remove barriers to participation.

Paralympian and McDonald’s Fun Football Ambassador, Jack Rutter

“What McDonald’s Fun Football is doing is massive. They’ve created new qualifications and are embarking on a journey to upskill coaches nationwide. This will create a domino effect and it can only be a good thing for the grassroots game especially when it comes to the long-term growth of competitive Para Football.