Burton Albion Community Trust is delivering a fan-focused project with support from the Premier League Fans Fund. The Premier League Fans Fund provides grants to support football clubs at all levels of the game to strengthen connections between them, their fans, and local communities.
The fund supports a range of fan-focused and fan-led projects, helping to foster a sense of belonging through meaningful engagement. This includes schemes for under-represented groups, to further develop an inclusive and welcoming matchday experience for everyone.
More Than Matchday: Community Connections Project will use the reach and appeal of Burton Albion Football Club]to deliver a year‑round programme of meaningful fan and community engagement activities to strengthen connections between supporters, community groups, and the wider local area. Through a series of themed matchday activations and large‑scale community events, we will foster a strong sense of belonging, improve wellbeing, and create inclusive opportunities for fans to connect with the Club and with each other.
Ben Webster, Programmes Manager, said “We are delighted to receive support from the Premier League Fans Fund for our More Than Matchday: Community Connections Project. Burton Albion Football Club has always been at the heart of our community, and this funding will allow us to create even more opportunities for supporters, local residents and community groups to come together throughout the year.”
“Whether through themed matchday activities, community events or opportunities to engage with the Club in new ways, our aim is to ensure everyone feels welcome, valued and connected. We know the positive impact football can have in bringing people together, and this project will help strengthen those bonds, improve wellbeing and create a lasting sense of belonging across East Staffordshire and beyond.”
Open to professional football club charities in the Premier League, English Football League, Women’s Super League 1 and Women’s Super League 2, the Premier League Fans Fund builds on the Premier League and clubs’ commitment to ensuring long-term engagement with supporters.
Following an initial £5million commitment in 2023-2025, the Premier League has committed a further £5million to the fund from 2026-2028. This will be administered through the Premier League Foundation. During the fund’s first phase, more than 100 projects engaged over 18,000 participants through nearly 9,000 sessions.
Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, said: “Fans are at the heart of football, and the strong connection between clubs and their supporters plays a vital role in the success of the game and the communities it serves.
“The Premier League Fans Fund is helping clubs strengthen those relationships by supporting projects that respond to the needs and interests of their fans. Through investment in initiatives at Premier League, EFL and WSL clubs across England and Wales, the Fund will help create more inclusive, engaging and meaningful opportunities for supporters, while delivering lasting benefits in communities and ensuring football remains a positive experience for all.”
In season 2026/27, Premier League funding will support 137 fan-led projects that respond to local need, and which aim to improve the match day environment for fans, addressing a range of themes such as community cohesion; education, underrepresented fan groups and health and well-being.
Delivery is often themed around tackling inequalities to create community cohesion, covering areas like equality, diversity, and inclusion, mental health and wellbeing, physical health and wellbeing, providing education and training opportunities, supporting employability, and sustainability.
Funding is flexible to empower professional football clubs, and their club charities, to develop fan-focused and fan-led projects that respond directly to the needs of their local community.
To find out more about the Premier League Fans Fund, please visit www.premierleague.com
About Premier League Fans Fund
The Premier League Fans Fund provides grants to support football clubs at all levels of the game to strengthen connections between them, their fans and local communities.
Open to professional football club community organisations across the Premier League, English Football League, and Women’s Super League 1 and 2, the fund supports fan-led projects that promote community cohesion, inclusion, education, wellbeing and environmental sustainability.
The fund currently supports 137 fan-led projects, having engaged more than 18,000 participants through nearly 9,000 sessions in 2023-2025.
Following an initial £5million investment between 2023-2025, the Premier League has committed a further £5million to the fund from 2026 to 2028. The fund is administered through the Premier League Foundation.
