Flutter Entertainment’s Cash4Clubs programme has been recognised as the best grassroots initiative helping develop women’s football across Britain.
Providing direct funding to 86 women’s grassroots football initiatives, the Cash4Clubs programme was named winner of the Best Grassroots Initiative prize at the 2026 Women’s Football Awards.
Cash4Clubs was launched in 2008, as Betfair’s first CSR programme, designed to help engage communities with football and improve access to Britain’s favourite sports for all individuals.
The initiative provides grants of £2,000 to local community clubs and organisations, with Cash4Clubs having contributed more than £7m to grassroots sport across the UK and Ireland since launch.
Delivered in partnership with UK charity Sported, the 2025/26 Cash4Clubs programme attracted applications from nearly 1,500 organisations and charities, with grants expected to support more than 50,000 people across over 40 sports throughout the UK and Ireland.
Funding has helped clubs improve facilities, purchase equipment, support coaching programmes and expand access to sport within local communities including the female-founded clubs of Chorley Women FC, Alway FC, Brighton Seagals FC, St James Swifts Ladies FC, as partners selected by Sported.
The award ceremony in London featured an opening address from Prince William celebrating the continued growth of women’s football, while the award itself was presented by Gabby Logan and Jamie Carragher.
Flutter’s award was collected by the media and public relations team of Rachael Kane, Camilla Toogood and Steve Hawks.
Carragher praised the initiative’s long-term impact on local communities, stating:
“Through their contributions to sport at a grassroots level, Flutter’s Cash4Clubs programme received the award for Best Grassroots Initiative because it has created transformational impact for hundreds of grassroots sports groups and thousands of individuals across local communities, providing safe, inclusive and accessible opportunities for women and girls to participate in sport, while tackling barriers linked to poverty, inequality, confidence and belonging.”
The programme forms part of Flutter’s wider community investment strategy tied to its goal of positively impacting 10 million people by 2030.
Flutter UK CEO, Kevin Harrington, said: “Cash4Clubs is a cornerstone of our commitment to reach the lives of 10 million people in the communities where we operate by 2030.
“Community clubs are the bedrock of sport in the UK and Ireland. Many operate on shoestring budgets, yet they deliver extraordinary impact for their members and wider communities. Unfortunately, without support from programmes such as Cash4Clubs, many of these vital community institutions simply won’t survive.
“We’re proud to play our part and honoured to be recognised at the Women’s Football Awards.”