McDonald's Fun Football and Access Sport collaboration expands disability football provision across the UK

McDonald's Fun Football and Access Sport mark the end of a successful six months of their relationship to expand the provision of pan disability football across the UK.

This collaboration has allowed Access Sport to deliver pan-disability football sessions and coaching as an extension of the established McDonald’s Fun Football programme at multiple centres across the country. The expansion of McDonald’s Fun Football programme, powered by ClubSpark’s online event system, plays into the wider ambitions to increase grassroots disability football provision and remove unnecessary barriers faced by families.

Across the last six months, the programme has leveraged our extensive experience in training, equipping, supporting community clubs and engaging with families and inclusive organisations.

As a result of the partnership, 2024 saw:

• 74 disability football sessions delivered
• 3,766 young people across the UK taking part
• 17% of participants were young women and girls
• 94% of sessions taking places in the UK's most deprived communities

Currently, the programme is offering pan-disability sessions across 8 centres, with plans to increase to 10 by early 2025. All play a part in the broader effort to ensure that every young person, regardless of ability, is given the opportunity to participate in football. 

To further support ambitions, McDonald's fun Football and Access Sport will provide comprehensive disability inclusion and neurodiversity training for coaches, ensuring coaches across the network have the confidence and skills needed to deliver effective pan-disability sessions. 

We will also address facility barriers, ensuring that all-weather pitches are accessible to wheelchair users and that coaches have the necessary equipment to adapt sessions to all needs.

“McDonald’s Fun Football provides a fantastic opportunity to expand the reach and impact of our work. We are excited to continue working with the Fun Football team, helping to make grassroots football more inclusive and providing disabled young people with access to the life-changing benefits of community sport."

Andrew Moys, Vice President Impact and Communications, McDonald’s UK and Ireland, said:

“We are committed to making grassroots football more inclusive than ever. Our partnership with Access Sport is a significant step towards ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or ability, can enjoy the benefits of football.

Across the last 4 years, over 500,000 children and young people have enjoyed access to free McDonald’s Fun Football sessions held across more than 1,500 locations. This relationship plans to build on that success, ensuring Fun Football can reach even more communities and ensure more children from a wider variety of backgrounds can enjoy the benefits of football."

For further information on McDonald’s involvement in grassroots football, follow:
@FunFootballUK on X, formally Twitter, and Instagram