£220m invested as Premier League Stadium Fund turns 25

The Premier League is celebrating 25 years of investment into non-league clubs’ facilities through the Premier League Stadium Fund.

Established in the 2000/01 season, the Premier League Stadium Fund has distributed £220 million in grants to more than 1,000 clubs in the men’s and women’s game. This has enabled significant improvements to the player and fan experience across the country, as well as enhancing accessibility and financial and environmental sustainability.

Chair of the Premier League Stadium Fund Board, Clare Sumner, said: “The Premier League is more than a game. We are proud to support football at all levels, and the Premier League Stadium Fund is a crucial part of that. Clubs across the country have redeveloped facilities through Premier League funding, from pitches and stands to changing rooms and clubhouses, helping them to continue providing a great experience and become more financially stable.”

The Premier League Stadium Fund’s 25-year milestone was marked with a special event at Southern League Premier South Division Uxbridge FC, who have received £236,000 for a number of developments. This has included support for a new 3G pitch and LED floodlights, enabling the club’s Honeycroft ground to host both Watford FC Women and teams from the Wycombe Wanderers Academy.

UNITED LINE-UP: Watford Women U-14s and Wycombe Wanderers Academy starlets with Uxbridge FC

PITCHING IN: Prem-winning skipper Tim Sherwood trials Uxbridge’s 3G surface

Captain of 1994/95 Premier League Champions Blackburn Rovers and former Watford player Tim Sherwood visited to see the difference that funding has made, joined by former England Lioness and one of women’s football’s most iconic players, Rachel Yankey. Both joined in with coaching as Wycombe, Watford and Uxbridge made full use of the site on the evening.

“The pyramid is the lifeblood of the Premier League and the English game,” said Sherwood. “I played lower down and got the opportunity to go to big clubs and win the Premier League and play for my country. It wouldn’t be possible without this level of football.

“The Premier League investment has been outstanding. For 25 years now they’ve invested into the non-league level so over a thousand clubs can benefit across the country, north and south. Long may it continue.”

Yankey added: “I look at the top of women’s football and the teams are playing at the highest level. You can see the investment, you can see the value people are putting into them. That needs to continue and filter down all the way through the leagues. And that’s why it’s so important that women’s football is supported by the Premier League.”