The Football League (Community) Limited
Analysis
The Football League (Community) Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Lancashire. It was registered in November 2009, 17 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and disability, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 06469948). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.
In the financial year ending June 2025, The Football League (Community) Limited reported income of £15.7m and spending of £15.8m, spending 101% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income fell from £21.7m to £15.7m (-28%), an average of -7.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2023, when income dropped by 53%. Over the whole period it spent 99% of the income it received.
Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The Football League (Community) Limited sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust (£15.7m), National Children's Bureau (£15.8m) and The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (£15.7m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 72%, donations and legacies 25%, trading 2.2% and investments 1.5%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 1.4%. Reserves of £4.7m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 48 people.
Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 25%
- Charitable activities 72%
- Trading 2.2%
- Investments 1.5%
In the charity's own words
to promote physical education; to promote community participation in football and sports capable of improving physical healthto assist in providing facilities for sport and recreation of such persons who have need for such facilities in the interest of social welfare.to advance the education of the public and to provide opportunities for them to develop their full capabilities.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust | Manchester | £15.7m |
| National Children's Bureau | London | £15.8m |
| The Royal College of Emergency Medicine | London | £15.7m |
| Brook Young People | London | £15.8m |