Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced a £9 million pilot scheme to upgrade grassroots football facilities across Northern Ireland, marking the latest phase of the long-delayed Northern Ireland Football Fund. The funding, launched at Wellington Rec FC in Larne, will support just six projects initially—leaving hundreds of clubs competing for limited resources amid what the Minister himself describes as an “urgent need” for improvement.
£9 Million Pilot Opens for Applications
The Grassroots Facilities Programme pilot represents the second strand of the Northern Ireland Football Fund to open for applications, following the Performance Programme which began in January 2025. The pilot carries an indicative budget of £9 million, with individual awards ranging from £500,000 to £1.5 million.
Speaking during his visit to the East Antrim club, Minister Lyons said:
“I am pleased to launch the first call for applications to the Grassroots Facilities Programme pilot to begin addressing the urgent need for improved facilities at this level.
The £9million of funding to kick-start this pilot phase is another major investment that will support six projects and start delivering the modern facilities our communities deserve.
I know this sector needs significantly more investment, and I am under no doubt about the scale of the challenge. This pilot is an important start.”
Applications opened immediately and will be assessed through two distinct streams:
- Stream 1: Open to grassroots football clubs who own or intend to own the facility. Applications close on 15 April 2026.
- Stream 2: Open to councils applying independently or in partnership with clubs. Applications close on 29 April 2026.
Department for Communities officials will deliver information sessions to assist clubs with preparing applications. The first awards are expected to be payable as early as the 2026/2027 financial year.
Context: A Fraction of Identified Need
The announcement comes against a backdrop of severe underinvestment in Northern Ireland’s football infrastructure. The Irish FA and Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) continue to advocate for £200 million—a figure the Department itself identified as necessary to properly upgrade performance club grounds, enhance grassroots facilities, and establish a National Football Centre.
The current £9 million pilot represents less than 5% of that identified requirement, and with almost 600 grassroots clubs operating across Northern Ireland, the six successful applicants will comprise barely 1% of the sector.
Minister Lyons acknowledged the limitation, stating:
“This scheme reflects the value I place on grassroots football and the role it plays in our communities. There are almost 600 grassroots football clubs operating across the country, and I have seen first-hand on visits to clubs both large and small the contribution they make.
Whether you play, coach, volunteer, or cheer from the sidelines, grassroots football brings people together, supports health and wellbeing and strengthens our local communities.
This pilot will start to directly address the significant improvements required in grassroots facilities. Let’s begin transforming facilities now and build some much-needed momentum.”
Performance Programme Controversy Casts Shadow
The grassroots announcement follows a turbulent selection process for the Performance Programme strand, which has seen Crusaders FC and Derry City FC launch legal proceedings against the Department after their applications were rejected. The clubs allege the Department failed to follow its own guidelines and changed criteria after bids were submitted—a claim that raises questions about procedural fairness as the grassroots phase begins.
Twenty clubs progressed to the next stage of the Performance Programme in September 2025, with Letters of Offer for business case development funding issued in February 2026. However, the total estimated cost of those 20 projects exceeds £82 million—more than double the £36.2 million capital budget ringfenced for the entire Performance Programme.
Cross-Border Comparisons Highlight Funding Gap
The investment also appears modest when compared to recent Republic of Ireland commitments. In January 2026, the Irish Government announced a record €33.36 million in core funding for sporting organisations through Sport Ireland, including €3 million specifically for League of Ireland football academies. This follows Budget 2026 allocations that included €10.8 million in extra current funding for sport.
Meanwhile, the UK Government’s Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund has directed over £1.3 million to Northern Ireland sites since 2021 through the Irish FA, separate from the Department for Communities’ funding.
Unanswered Questions
Several critical details remain unclear as applications open:
- How will the Department select six projects from potentially hundreds of eligible clubs, and will the scoring criteria be published transparently to avoid the disputes that plagued the Performance Programme?
- Given that 50% of previous UK Government grassroots funding was earmarked for underprivileged areas, will the Department adopt similar geographic or social deprivation weighting?
- When will the third strand—the National Football Centre—receive definitive funding, given that the Irish FA continues to await “future funding announcements” for this flagship project?
Clubs seeking further information can find application details on the Department for Communities website. A Written Ministerial Statement has also been lodged with the Assembly.