From season 2025/26, the Premier League will increase the number of football club charities supported to deliver Premier League Inspires, its secondary school targeted intervention programme.
The expansion supports our partnership with government on the Youth Guarantee initiative that aims to help young people into education or employment.
Fifty-four Premier League and EFL club charities will deliver Premier League Inspires in local schools and education establishments this season, up from 45 in season 2024/25.
"The Premier League uses the power of football to inspire children across England and Wales to learn, grow and reach their potential," said Premier League Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer, Clare Sumner.
"As the new school year gets under way, we are pleased to be able to increase our support for young people by funding more club charity organisations to deliver our Premier League Inspires programme.
"This increased investment will help build on the great work already being delivered in more than 20,000 primary and secondary schools and education establishments, which provide children and young people aged five to 18 with access to education resources, mentoring and positive opportunities."
Launched in 2019, Premier League Inspires creates life-changing opportunities for young people who may be at risk of not reaching their potential to engage with activities, helping them to develop the personal skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed in life.
Using the power of football, the programme, which is delivered by professional football club charities, helps to prepare young people for further education and employment through a series of face-to-face mentoring sessions, workshops and social-action projects.
Now in its sixth year of delivery, Premier League Inspires has engaged more than 40,000 young people aged 11-to-18, supporting them to reach their potential in more than 1,000 education establishments across England and Wales.
Research conducted by Sheffield Hallam University into the impact of Premier League Inspires on pupils’ attendance and behaviour in the 2024-2025 academic year revealed that 92% of schools believe that Premier League Inspires helps to improve pupils’ behaviour, while 96% state that the programme increases pupils’ engagement in lessons.
"Our evaluation of the Premier League Inspires programme highlights its positive impact on participants and schools, particularly in raising aspirations, strengthening relationships, and expanding future opportunities," said Dr Steve Bullough, Senior Research Fellow, Sport Industry Research Group, Sheffield Hallam University.
The independent research also revealed that almost 80 per cent of schools felt that Premier League Inspires helped to reduce pupil absenteeism, with 86 per cent saying that the programme also reduced pupils’ risk of exclusion.
One young person who has benefited from the programme is Aabid, who took part in Premier League Inspires with Burnley FC in the Community.
At risk of exclusion, Aabid credits Premier League Inspires, and particularly his mentor, Burnley FC in the Community’s Mohammed Asad Aamir, with setting him on the right path.
"Before the Premier League Inspires programme, the way I used to speak to teachers was bad. I had no motivation for anything, to be honest," Aabid said. "I didn't want to do anything.
"My Premier League Inspires mentor showed me both paths available to me, the right and wrong, and just opened my eyes to it all."
Alongside Premier League Inspires, the Premier League has also renewed its commitment to supporting five-to-11-year-olds, through Premier League Primary Stars.
Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of football to help children to be active and develop essential life skills.
This season, 104 football club charities across the Premier League, EFL and National League will deliver in-classroom Premier League Primary Stars sessions in their local communities.
The free programme also provides teachers with downloadable resources across a range of curriculum subjects at Key Stage 1 (age 5-7) and Key Stage 2 (age 7-11) to support children to develop skills and values that are crucial to success in later life.
More than 75,000 teachers from over 19,000 primary schools have signed up to access these online resources to date.
To find out more about the Premier League's commitment to community activity, please visit www.premierleague.com/morethanagame.