Work will get underway in Liverpool this summer on the next FA Parklife Programme, with four new football hubs set to be created.
Each will have three floodlit artificial grass pitches together with grass pitches, changing facilities and extensive car parking. There will also be health and fitness facilities at Jeffrey Humble and Jericho Lane.
Martin Glenn, FA chief executive officer, said: “After the success of our inaugural site in Sheffield last year, this is another positive step in helping football communities across the country.
“Liverpool is a real hotbed for the game at youth level.
“Crucially, this development means poor pitches, inadequate changing facilities and a battle against the elements to get fixtures completed each winter will be a thing of the past for everyone who uses it which underlines our commitment to providing football for all.”
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “This is a huge investment in grassroots football and will be pivotal in improving the facilities in Liverpool.
“Far too often during the winter, matches have to be called off because the grass is waterlogged or frozen, causing disappointment for thousands of people.
“Unlike many other councils we have chosen to keep the use of pitches free. But we have far less money than we used to and we can’t invest to improve the pitches and associated facilities.
“That is why we have worked together with our partners to come up with an innovative new approach that will deliver major investment in great new facilities and get more people involved in the game.”
Football is the city’s major participation sport with over 1,200 teams – of which more than 60 per cent are junior/youth teams – and it is estimated that half a million people participate in the game every year.
Under the initiative, a varied development programme will be introduced to ensure the new facilities are accessible to all sections of the community through the week for matches and other activities at the weekend as part of the drive to ensure both football development and social outcomes are delivered.
