Young footballers celebrate success for Newcastle United Foundation at Premier League Kicks Cup

Newcastle United Foundation participants have been crowned national champions at the 2024 Premier League Kicks Cup.

Teams of young players took part in the Under-16 mixed and Under-16 girls tournaments, with participants from the Foundation’s Walker and Westgate sessions coming together to lift the Premier League Kicks Cup trophy in the Under-16 mixed tournament.

More than 360 young people from across England and Wales travelled to St George’s Park National Football Centre to take part in this year’s Premier League Kicks Cup. The tournament is one of the competition elements of the Premier League’s flagship community programme, Premier League Kicks, which sees clubs across England and Wales run free weekly football sessions and positive activity to engage and support young people.

In the 2023/24 season, 2,866 young people enjoyed free, supervised Premier League Kicks sessions delivered by Newcastle United Foundation, with sessions available across the North East, from Berwick to Gateshead – click here to register.

Sarah Burn, Premier League Kicks Coordinator at Newcastle United Foundation, said: “It is a huge achievement for our participants from Walker and Westgate to have competed in the Premier League Kicks Cup final. They were excited – and a little bit nervous – to represent Newcastle United Foundation nationally and both teams performed exceptionally well.

“While preparing for the Cup, our participants have learnt and developed their own skills around teamwork, communication and respect. It’s what Kicks is all about and we are grateful to be part of such a positive and meaningful programme.

“Our participants are a real inspiration for their peers, families and everyone within our Foundation.”

Since it began, more than 520,000 young people have participated in Premier League Kicks football and multi-sport sessions delivered by 89 Premier League, English Football League and National League sides. More than one million hours of sessions have been delivered since launch.

Premier League Charitable Fund Chair and former Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner, Tim Godwin OBE QPM, added: “For over 17 years Premier League Kicks has had an incredible impact on local communities, providing more than half a million young people with free access to sport in the heart of their community.

“By providing safe spaces to play, Premier League Kicks strengthens communities and boosts safety in some of the most high-need areas of England and Wales. The Premier League Kicks Cup offers a brilliant opportunity to bring young people together to celebrate their involvement in positive activities and to develop their potential both on and off the pitch.”

To date, the Premier League has invested more than £80 million in Premier League Kicks through the Premier League Charitable Fund. Premier League Kicks, funded by the Premier League through the Premier League Charitable Fund, uses the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential, in some of the most high-need areas in England and Wales.

For more information about the Foundation and programmes near you, follow Newcastle United Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X for regular news and updates.