To mark World Book Day 2025 on 6 March, the Premier League has given away more than 28,000 free books to children across England and Wales through its Premier League Primary Stars education programme.
The books have been donated to the programme by the World Book Day Charity, run in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.
More than 100 professional football club charities across England and Wales have received 275 free books each for their local partner primary schools as part of their in-classroom Premier League Primary Stars session delivery.
Since Premier League Primary Stars began in 2017, more than 300,000 free books have been gifted to young people with an estimated value of £2.4m.
World Book Day aims to promote the many benefits of reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.
"We understand the crucial role that reading for enjoyment has in building confidence and promoting positive mental health in young people," said Premier League Charitable Fund Chief Executive Ruth Shaw.
"Through the Premier League Primary Stars education programme, we are committed to helping children access the benefits that reading offers."
According to National Literacy Trust research, one in eight children said they did not own a book of their own at home, the highest percentage seen since 2016.
"World Book Day celebrates reading for pleasure for everyone, which is central to our vision at the National Literacy Trust," said Jim Sells, Sport and Literacy Programme Manager at the National Literacy Trust. Choosing a book of their own can inspire a child's love of reading, give them confidence, and support them at school.
"Our goal is to engage those who need support this World Book Day through inclusive activities, like our free live quiz and wide-scale book donations, inspiring a life-long love of books and reading, and empowering children and young people with the words to shape their own futures."
World Book Day quiz
To create more opportunities for pupils to experience the joy of reading, on Thursday the Premier League and the National Literacy Trust ran The Great World Book Day 2025 Footy & Booky Quiz.
Hosted by teacher and author Kit Brown and featuring the Football School authors Ben Lyttleton and Alex Bellos, the Quiz was attended by more than 400,000 primary school pupils across England and Wales on World Book Day, engaging them in reading activities and showcasing reading role models through the medium of football.
"World Book Day's purpose is to unlock the fun of reading for all children, and we are delighted to partner with National Literary Trust again this year, to ensure even more children get access to our £1 books," said Cassie Chadderton, CEO at World Book Day.
"By letting go of pressure and embracing choice, we can help more children find the fun in reading and unlock the incredible benefits it brings."
Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of football to help children to learn, be active and develop essential life skills and is available to every primary school in England and Wales.
More than 70,000 teachers have engaged with the programme to date, giving them access to more than 650 free downloadable resources across Maths, English, PE and PSHE.
For more information, please visit Premier League Primary Stars.
