Former Premier League star Dion Dublin joined Birmingham locals for the opening of a new multi-sport pitch at the Concord Youth Centre, which has received more than £250,000 in funding from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation and EA SPORTS.
The new Football Foundation PlayZone is one of more than 200 which will be built throughout England by 2025, supported by a £13.5million commitment from the Premier League.
Following consultation with the Concord Youth Centre and its surrounding community, this PlayZone has been designed to host football and basketball sessions and features two new murals designed by local artists which reflect the area’s diversity and passion for sport.
This one's for you, #Birmingham. PlayZones has arrived! ⚡️
— Football Foundation (@FootballFoundtn) September 20, 2024
A safe, inclusive and accessible facility built with your community, for your community 👊
Funded by the @FootballFoundtn, charity of the @premierleague, @FA and @DCMS in collaboration with @EASPORTSFC 👏 pic.twitter.com/g2H0tABp29
Dublin, who spent 11 seasons in the West Midlands playing for Aston Villa and Coventry City shared his support: “I know how important it is to provide quality sporting facilities for communities up and down the country and I was delighted to be at the launch of this new Football Foundation PlayZone in Birmingham, a city very close to my heart.
“Thanks to funding from the Premier League, The FA and the Government, along with EA SPORTS, this fantastic facility will be a huge boost to everybody in the local area, helping to bring the local community together and keep children and young people active."
The pitch is expected to be used by more than 500 people each month, including walking football and wheelchair basketball. Both Birmingham City FC Foundation and Aston Villa Foundation will deliver community coaching sessions at the site, with a focus on engaging female players.
Wai Wan, Aston Villa Foundation Football Development Coordinator, said: “This is a massively diverse area and we want to make sure everyone has access to play sports. To have fun but also learn and be sociable at the same time.
“This site and the support from the Premier League as well as the presence of Aston Villa and Birmingham City here helps to bring people in.”
Birmingham City midfielder Brandon Khela, who became the first British South Asian to represent The Blues first team last season, was also at the opening.
“It’s important that funding reaches places like this," he said. "We have a large South Asian community here in Birmingham and the city has a real passion for football.
“This is a fantastic facility which allows more opportunities for young people to be involved in sport. It’s about having fun, but also a great place for emerging talent to develop.”
More Than A Game
Across a three-year period, from 2022/23 to 2024/25, the Premier League is investing £1.6billion to support communities and football at all levels.
Premier League Chief Commercial Officer Will Brass, who was at the ribbon-cutting, added: “The continued success of the Premier League on the pitch enables us to provide support to communities and football throughout the country.
“Pitches like this one, which provide access to sport and make a difference in the heart of the community are a priority for us and we look forward to the opening of more than 200 further PlayZones.
“We are proud to have been supporting the Football Foundation for the past 24 years, which has distributed more than £1.1 billion in grants for football facilities.
“We are pleased to collaborate once again with our partners at EA SPORTS, who have supported this Birmingham PlayZone, following their backing for the Rocky & Wrighty Arena in south London and a pitch in New Jersey, USA, which both opened last year.”
James Salmon, Senior Marketing Director, EA SPORTS FC, said: “EA SPORTS is incredibly proud to partner with Football Foundation once again. Access to inclusive facilities that encourage play is crucial for growing the love of sport, and it's been brilliant working alongside Football Foundation and the Premier League’s Community Trust to support this.”
Along with the Football Foundation PlayZone at Concord, EA SPORTS FC FUTURES joined forces with the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation in April 2023 to fund the Rocky & Wrighty Arena, a £200k project at Ian Wright’s former primary school in South-East London.
