If your club has a pitch that floods, changing rooms that leak or no floodlights for winter training, there is money set aside for you. The government has allocated £85 million for 2026/27 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, and the share for each nation is already known. Here is who gets what, what it pays for and how to start an application.
How the £85 Million Is Split
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced the 2026/27 allocation on 27 January 2026. Each nation’s money is distributed through its own football body.
| Nation | Amount | Distributed by |
|---|---|---|
| England | £68.35 million | The Football Foundation |
| Scotland | £8.14 million | The Scottish FA |
| Wales | £5.735 million | Cymru Football Foundation |
| Northern Ireland | £2.775 million | The Irish FA |
This follows the 2025/26 round, which put £98 million into the programme and funded 991 projects. The scheme is part of a wider £400 million commitment to grassroots sports facilities.
What the Money Can Pay For
The DCMS lists these as eligible improvements:
- 3G or all-weather pitches
- Changing pavilions
- Floodlighting
- Car parking
- Goalposts, fencing and storage
- Community hubs
Funded sites are expected to support PE lessons, school activities and health programmes, not just club fixtures.
Who the Programme Prioritises
The rules are designed to steer money toward communities that have had the least investment:
- At least 50% of funding must go to the 30% most deprived communities in the UK
- At least 40% of funded projects must offer more than one sport
- Women and girls, disabled people and ethnic minority communities are targeted for better access
The government also plans to more than double prime-time pitch slots for women’s and girls’ football at funded facilities over the next five years. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the aim is to support “communities that have made do with run-down pitches and crumbling changing rooms for years.”
How to Apply, Nation by Nation
The nations opened and closed their rounds at different times, so status matters more than the headline figure.
England. Applications go through the Football Foundation and, according to the DCMS announcement of 27 January, are open on an ongoing basis. Start at footballfoundation.org.uk and confirm the programme is still accepting bids before you invest time in an application.
Scotland. The Scottish FA delivers its £8.14 million through the Pitching In fund for 2026/27, which it opened on 13 February 2026. Its priorities include facilities in deprived areas, girls’ and women’s activity, multi-sport projects offering at least five hours a week beyond football, and regular use by under-represented groups. The announcement gives no closing date, so check the Scottish FA Pitching In page for the current position.
Wales. The Cymru Football Foundation distributes the Welsh share of £5.735 million. We could not confirm an application window or deadline, so contact the Cymru Football Foundation directly.
Northern Ireland. The Irish FA/DCMS Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund opened on 18 February 2026 with £2.775 million, offering awards of £100,000 to £500,000 for large pitch-based capital projects. That round closed on 18 March 2026 at 12 noon. A separate Department for Communities pilot, the Northern Ireland Football Fund, offered £500,000 to £1.5 million per project from an indicative £9 million, and its club stream closed on 15 April 2026. Clubs in Northern Ireland should watch the Irish FA website for the next round rather than apply to these.
Real Examples From the Last Round
To see what a successful bid looks like, these projects were funded in 2025/26:
- East Kilbride United Community Sports Club (Scotland): £310,000 across 2024 to 2026 for an artificial pitch and changing pavilion
- Ben Scott’s Field, Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation (England): £990,248
- Lift Tendring School (England): £1,000,000 for a 3G pitch
- Afan United Project (Wales): £315,360
- Foyle Arena 3G Development, Derry City and Strabane District Council (Northern Ireland): £200,842
Practical Tips Before You Apply
- Show who benefits. Funders weigh deprivation, multi-sport use and access for women and girls, so gather local data and letters of support.
- Secure your site first. A long lease or ownership makes a bid far stronger. Kirkham Juniors secured a 25-year lease before turning to external funders, as we reported in our story on the club’s crowdfunded home ground.
- Think about partners. Schools, councils and other sports clubs can help you meet the multi-sport and community-use priorities.
- Look at smaller funds as well. If a full facility bid is not realistic yet, the Aldi Sports Fund offers smaller grants, and our piece on the Football Foundation’s 25 years of funding explains how its grants have worked.
Before You Rely on These Figures
The amounts above come from the DCMS announcement of 27 January 2026, and the application details come from each national body’s own announcement. Windows open and close, so confirm current availability with your national body before you begin.