The FA, with the Premier League, has announced three-year deals to extend Barclays’ sponsorship of the football organisations’ competitions from the start of the 2022-23 season.
Running until the end of the 2024-25 season, the agreement sees the bank invest around £30 million in women’s and girls’ football – setting a ‘new record’ for investment in UK women’s sport.
Kelly Simmons, FA Director of Women’s Professional Game, commented: “Barclays have played a crucial role in the growth of women’s and girls’ football, so it is excellent news that they are committing to a new record investment in the women’s and girls’ pyramid until 2025.
“As part of our 2020-2024 Women’s and Girls’ strategy, Inspiring Positive Change, we set ourselves the ambition of providing equal access for all girls at 90% of primary and secondary schools in the UK, and Barclays continued support and investment has allowed us to make great strides in achieving this ambition.”
The announcement follows a deal with the FA in 2019 when Barclays became the title sponsor of the FA Women’s Super League.
“From grassroots to the top tiers of women’s football, we are also extremely excited to welcome Barclays as the new title sponsor of the FA Women’s Championship. The FA Women’s Championship plays a pivotal role in the ongoing development of the pyramid structure and the credible history and association to football that Barclays has will make the league even stronger,” Simmons continued.
Furthermore, the bank will also become the first title sponsor of the FA Women’s Championship as the league is renamed to the Barclays FA Women’s Championship from the start of the 2022-23 season.
The partners also promise to continue in their bid to support the development of the second tier of the women’s competition and encourage further investment in women’s football.
Will Brass, Premier League Chief Commercial Officer, noted: “Barclays has always been a fantastic partner of the Premier League, and we are very pleased to be extending our long-standing association for another three years.
“Over two decades Barclays has demonstrated their support for football, both on and off the pitch. And together we share an ambition of creating opportunities at all levels and ensuring everyone is welcome to enjoy the game. We look forward to further developing our relationship over the coming years.”
Additionally, Barclays will also increase its investment in girls’ grassroots development, extending its sponsorship of the FA Girls’ Football School Partnerships (FAGFSP) with the aim of giving girls equal access to football in schools.
The company’s Group Head of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility Sasha Wiggins, added: “At Barclays, we’re delighted to announce the agreements with the FA and Premier League at a time when we are celebrating our long term commitment to English football. Collectively we have been through extraordinarily difficult times over the last 18 months and over that time football has done much to help raise spirits and bring people together.
“Yet we are also aware that this is an important time to drive equity across the game. The doubling of our investment in women’s and girls’ football, whilst continuing to support men’s football, and providing finance to the smallest football organisations through the new community fund, is the right way to support the future of the game for everyone’s benefit.”
From 2019-22, Barclays agreed to invest in excess of £15m to become the lead partner of the FA Girls’ Football School Partnerships whilst also putting money into promoting the game.
