The Premier League is celebrating 15 years of its flagship community programme, Premier League Kicks, which has supported hundreds of thousands of young people to achieve their potential and improve their wellbeing through free weekly football sessions and educational workshops.
Premier League Kicks began in the 2006/07 season in partnership with the Metropolitan police to help create stronger, safer, and more inclusive communities. To date, the Premier League has invested £66 million in Kicks and more than 440,000 young people have participated in sessions since it began, with 80,000 young people expected to take part in the year ahead.
As part of the 15-year celebrations, 90 Premier League, English Football League, and National League clubs have nominated a Premier League Kicks ‘Local Legend’ – somebody involved in the programme who has helped inspire others. Each nominee will receive a bespoke ‘Local Legend’ football card, created with the support of Premier League partner Panini.
"For 15 years Premier League Kicks has been using the universal language of football to bring communities together and inspire a new generation of young people, providing positive role models who can give them belief and can help to steer them on the right path in life. "Legend is a word you hear a lot in football, but legends aren't just created in stadiums. The coaches, mentors, volunteers and participants who have fulfilled their potential thanks to these weekly sessions all deserve to be called legends."
– Rio Ferdinand
"We are proud of the incredible impact Kicks has had on communities up and down the country over the past 15 years. As we mark the anniversary, this is an opportunity to celebrate the local legends who have helped make Premier League Kicks what it is. The success of the programme would not have been possible without the hard work and passion of club staff, coaches and volunteers working alongside young people at Kicks sessions, week in, week out."
- Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters
As part of the Kicks anniversary celebrations, representative teams from all 90 Premier League Kicks clubs have been invited to attend one of six regional tournaments during February half-term (14-25 February 2022), bringing together more than 1,000 young people.
Visit premierleague.com for more information.
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