Scotland’s return to the FIFA World Cup finals has prompted new investment aimed at inspiring the next generation of footballers across the country.
First Minister John Swinney announced a package of funding designed to build on the excitement surrounding the national team’s first appearance at the tournament since 1998.
At the heart of the announcement is a new World Cup Fund worth £500,000, created in partnership with the Scottish Football Association to support youth football programmes for boys and girls across Scotland.
The investment is intended to help young people access more opportunities to play the game and develop their skills at a time when interest in football is expected to reach new heights.
An additional £275,000 has also been awarded to Street Soccer Scotland to expand its free football and wellbeing sessions in communities across the country.
The charity uses football as a way to tackle social isolation and support people facing a range of challenges, with the latest funding helping to provide coaching and volunteering opportunities for young people while also supporting housing assistance, mental health services, food support and employability programmes for adults.
Speaking ahead of joining Scotland supporters at the FIFA Fan Festival in Boston, Mr Swinney said:
“As Scotland takes centre stage at the World Cup, I’ll be joining the Tartan Army to show Boston and the world, the whole of Scotland will be cheering the team on.
“The excitement around the World Cup demonstrates the strength of football, at home and in Boston, people are celebrating and showing off the very best of Scotland.
“This is a historic moment and our return to the World Cup is an opportunity to inspire a generation of sporting talent.
“To nurture this talent, I am announcing a £500,000 World Cup Fund to support young boys and girls follow their sporting dreams.
“I am also pleased to announce funding in support of the work delivered across the country by Street Soccer Scotland.
“These programmes, alongside our £20 million Summer of Sport celebrations, will help create more sporting opportunities for young people across Scotland.”
SFA Chief Executive Ian Maxwell said:
“Scotland’s return to the World Cup stage has undoubtedly inspired the nation, from grassroots to the senior game and across society in general.
“We regularly reference the power of football to impact the game and the country and our hope is to use this summer as a springboard to progress in a number of areas.
“We welcome the Scottish Government’s investment, which will undoubtedly boost efforts to produce the next generation of internationals, who will hopefully pick up the baton and take us to more tournaments in the future.”
Chief Executive of Street Soccer Scotland, David Duke, said:
“We welcome this support from the Scottish Government.
“The Street Soccer Network Programme was created on the principle that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, should have access to connection, opportunity and a sense of belonging, using the power of football.
“This investment will enable us to continue that support and reach even more communities across Scotland.
“A significant focus of the network programme is on smaller towns and rural areas, where access to services can be limited and individuals often face additional barriers.
“This funding allows us to provide consistent, trusted support in places where it is needed most, ensuring that people are not left behind because of where they live.”
