Amplifying the social impact of football in Wales

Amplifying the social impact of football in Wales

The club community organizations connected to their respective professional football clubs are County in the Community, Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, Swansea City AFC Foundation, and Wrexham AFC Foundation. They use the power of football to enhance local communities’ quality of life by offering a variety of programs in school and community settings. For the 23–24 season, the total estimated societal impact was above £60 million.

Lesley Griffiths, an avid football fan and Wrexham MS, sponsored the Senedd event.

Despite their independence, the parties have pledged to cooperate in order to strengthen their current network, driven by the same objective of leveraging football’s ability to transform lives and uplift Welsh communities.

“Football clubs have such a strong bond with the communities they serve and have the power to improve people’s lives in many ways,” stated Lesley Griffiths, MS.

“I am pleased to sponsor today’s event at the Senedd, which will give the FAW and Wales’ EFL Clubs an excellent chance to exchange ideas and advice that will ultimately benefit communities across Wales.”

“Football clubs are at the very heart of their communities,” stated Gavin Hawkey, Foundation Director at Cardiff City FC Community Foundation. They arouse passion, hope, and a feeling of community. We build communities and alter lives by drawing inspiration from Cardiff City FC.

“We’re using football as an engagement tool to improve health, education, and community results. As part of a network of communities

organizations associated with professional football teams in England and Wales, and we provide annual support to thousands of individuals in our communities with the help of the Premier League and EFL in the Community.

“We hope that by collaborating with the FAW, we’re not only increasing our collective impact but also creating a stronger, more resilient network of support across Welsh communities, as each foundation brings distinct strengths, insights, and experiences to the table.”

“Our mission at County in the Community is to provide opportunities by enhancing lives through educational and physical activity programs that enrich people living across South East Wales, regardless of age, ethnic origin, economic status, or ability,” stated Norman Parselle, CEO of County in the Community (Newport County AFC).

“This collaboration will allow us to exchange best practices and spread awareness of this crucial work to communities throughout Wales.”

According to Swansea City AFC Foundation Head of Foundation Paul France, “Football has a unique ability to engage with thousands of people.” By achieving results in our shared themes of education, health, inclusion, community cohesion, and sport, Swansea City is used by the Swansea City Foundation as a catalyst for constructive change in our local communities. We take great pride in our ability to enhance and even save lives.

We intend to expand funding for the programs we all provide and spread our messaging and influence across the country by collaborating closely with FAW through the Club Foundations. Under the EFL in the Community, the Clubs currently operate as a network, but this partnership will put a genuine emphasis on enhancing results throughout Wales.

Wrexham AFC was established in 1864 to address the dearth of activities available to children and youth in Wrexham, according to Jamie Edwards, Head of Foundation at the Wrexham AFC Foundation. Wrexham AFC has maintained a prominent and important presence in the community ever since.

“Wrexham AFC has a global presence in 2025, and through the Wrexham AFC Foundation, we are dedicated to significantly improving the community despite our recent on-field achievements. This is more than just “giving back”; it’s giving kids and teens a chance to reach their objectives. We are aware that we can accomplish more by expanding the scope and reach of our work while also improving the caliber and comprehension of our delivery.

“This collaboration will help us achieve our lofty objectives and give us a forum to exchange best practices and knowledge, which will ultimately lead to the development of healthier and more cohesive communities throughout Wales.”

“Football is a sport that is emotionally embedded in every community and pretty much every household in Wales, whether that be the thousands of girls and boys, women and men, who play grassroots football every week and the people who turn out to support them, or the volunteers who make the game happen across our communities,” stated Helen Antoniazzi, Head of Public Affairs and Sustainability at the Football Association of Wales. We are aware that football’s biggest benefit—a profoundly good social impact—occurs at this local level. Football has the potential to significantly impact positive social change, whether it be through addressing inequality, promoting community cohesiveness, lowering crime, or enhancing public health.