FA chief executive Mark Bullingham says England's football stadiums are an 'embarrassment'

Grassroots players brave the elements at Hackney Marshes, London. Photo: Getty Images/Eddie Keogh

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham expects Euro 2028 to be a game-changer for the grassroots game after the country's current standards were branded «embarrassing».

The five-host tournament is predicted to generate £2.6 billion for the UK and Ireland economy and its legacy will be new pitches for young people to train on and plans for all-weather surfaces to avoid matches being postponed. The 2022 budget allocated £550 million to grassroots football.

“You saw the government announced £550 million in funding for facilities,” Bullingham said. “As a country, we know that our facilities are a nuisance and we know that we lose a huge number of grassroots football matches, especially in January and February when the weather is bad.

“It is therefore vital that we transform our institutions so that every child has a decent quality local provision. Given the stellar growth of women's and girls' football, this is an issue that is becoming more pressing, not less, and we are working with the government to address it. A large part of this is the £550 million commitment.»

Cramped dressing rooms are a common problem in grassroots football Photo: Getty Images/Eddie Keogh

Bullingham, speaking in Nyon at the announcement of the successful bid to host Euro 2028, said work on the pitches would begin well before the tournament starts in five years.

“Legacy doesn't always happen after. Before the tournament there needs to be a very clear plan,» he said. “The Football Foundation has already invested a lot of money and we want to build many of these pitches before the Euros start and then leave a legacy that will live on for generations.”

Although there are 10 stadiums in the tournament, Bullingham insists the whole country will benefit from the final: during the Euros it will include fan zones in cities not hosting the tournament, as well as pitches across the country.

“It's absolutely critical,” he said. “You saw that the selected stadiums are scattered throughout the country, so everyone has an event within reach. It is vital that the whole country feels involved and this excitement is felt in all parts of the country.»

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