The Football Association and Mars Chocolate UK have renewed their partnership for another four-year term.
It means Mars will continue its role as Official Supporter of the England Team and remain Official Partner to the Just Play programme until July 2018.
To celebrate, The FA and Mars will offer fans nationwide the chance to take part in free Just Play sessions close to home during the tournament in Brazil next summer.
The Just Play programme was launched in June 2011 and aims to increase the numbers of adults playing football.
The FA and Mars are working together to make a lasting difference to adult football. Over the next four years the aim is to offer one million Just Play opportunities, with more sessions in more places across the country.
Building on the success of the programme to date, the number of Just Play centres will increase to 300.
Five-hundred Just Play organisers will have been trained. This will make Just Play the country’s biggest and fastest-growing adult football participation scheme.
Just Play provides fun, flexible formats of play, facilities, organisers and an online tool that enables players to take part in casual football at a time that suits them.
To get involved, anyone over 16 can search online for Just Play, enter their postcode, and book themselves into a local kickabout.
Theo Walcott, Mars ambassador for The FA Mars Just Play programme, said: “The free Just Play sessions will be a great opportunity for people to dust off their boots and have a casual kickabout next summer – I’ve taken part in a number of Just Play sessions since the scheme started in 2011 and it’s a great way to get out and enjoy our national sport.”
Since 2011 the programme has:
- Created 200,000 adult places at Just Play kickabout sessions
- Opened over 200 Just Play centres nationwide
- Trained over 400 Just Play organisers
Roy Hodgson, England manager, said: “Mars has shown a genuine commitment to making it easy for adults to get back to playing football. This goes hand-in-hand with the enthusiasm of our fantastic fans and the support our team enjoys from all corners of the country. Extending The FA’s partnership with Mars is extremely positive news for the English game."
Kelly Simmons, The FA’s Director of National Game said: “The FA Mars Just Play programme has been a great success so far, with participation numbers exceeding expectations. We hope that in such a big football year, Just Play can really help to build excitement around the game, whilst encouraging more and more adults to get back into football which is extremely important for our National Game Strategy.”
Fiona Dawson, President of Mars Chocolate UK, said: “We are extremely proud of Mars’ great heritage of working within football. Extending our partnership with The FA enables us to build on Just Play’s success and together we want to get even more adults back on the pitch.
“Over the next four years, we’ll be working to create one million opportunities to participate in a kickabout close to home. And, as a treat during the tournament next summer, Just Play for Free will encourage fans to rediscover their love of playing when football fever is at its highest."
The agreement was negotiated by The FA’s sponsorship team, led by Peter Daire who commented: “I’m delighted we have signed Mars for a further four years. Mars are great to work with and their promotion of England and Just Play is of huge benefit to The FA as a whole. It is testament to the strength of The FA Partner Programme that we are able to sign long term deals with such blue chip brands”.
For more information about how you can attend a free Just Play session, please visit www.facebook.com/mars or search online for Just Play.
