Digital Bank Chase has been announced as the official banking partner of the UK home nation football teams.
The agreement will see England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales Men’s, Women’s, Youth & Para national teams work with Chase across the next four-years. Under the agreement, the bank’s logo will be visible on training kits worn by the men’s and women’s teams of each home nation.
At the heart of the partnership, Chase will be supporting individuals across the UK from low income backgrounds. Defined as individuals from either low income and low socio-economic backgrounds, Chase will provide access to fully funded coaching qualifications and free learning tools, aiming to develop transferable skills for life on-and-off the football pitch.
Mark Bullingham, FA Chief Executive, commented: “Our new partnership with Chase is an exciting opportunity that will help us to develop the next generation of coaching talent across all levels of English football. Importantly, this collaborative programme will directly support people from disadvantaged communities across the country who wish to pursue a future in football coaching.
“Together, we will create a new pathway for aspiring coaches by providing access to fully funded courses and free training resources so that they can achieve a range of industry leading qualifications.”
In addition, the bank will also provide opportunities for customers to get closer to the matches of the aforementioned teams, offering memorable match experiences at games and training grounds.
Deborah Keay, UK Chief Marketing Officer at Chase, remarked: “Football has the unique ability to drive positive societal change, bringing together millions of people across every corner of the UK. We are excited to be working with the Home Nations to use the power of football to support individuals and communities across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Chase also aims to empower individuals by “improving access to the resources and tools they need to unlock their potential and help build pathways towards future employment”, through this partnership and its existing relationship with the National Literacy Trust.
“We recognise there are barriers that can make obtaining coaching qualifications difficult for many. By supporting individuals with access to the right resources and tools they need to succeed, we can help people develop key life skills on and off the pitch that will have a positive impact on their lives,” Keay added.
The new partnership looks to build on the bank’s ongoing investment into local communities, and extends JPMorgan Chase’s decades-long support for local communities in the UK, in which it has employed 22,000 people.
Patrick Nelson, Chief Executive at Irish Football Association, said: “This partnership will provide added value to different parts of our operation, which is really exciting. We know that our senior teams attract significant attention, and rightly so.
“But we are committed to enhancing the skillset of individuals right across our football family and the bursary for aspiring coaches that comes as part of our partnership with Chase, an organisation that shares our vision and values here at the Irish FA, will really help us continue to do that.”
