Swedish Football Association secures SEK 17m for vulnerable areas initiative, with contributions from Svenska Spel
The initiative aims to create meaningful and safe recreational opportunities for children and young people through football activities.
Key points:
– Svenska Spel and partners are contributing SEK 5m to support football in vulnerable Swedish communities
– Total funding for the “A Better Road” initiative now stands at SEK 17m
– Funds will go toward hiring local football developers to foster sustainable club structures
The Swedish Football Association (SvFF) has announced that SEK 17m will be allocated to its “A Better Road” initiative, aimed at strengthening football’s presence in socially vulnerable areas across the country.
The funding includes SEK 12m from the Swedish Government and an additional SEK 5m contributed by SvFF’s commercial partners: Svenska Spel, ICA and Folksam.
Launched in 2023, “A Better Road” is part of the Swedish Sports Confederation’s broader “Idrottsklivet” programme and focuses on creating safe, structured and meaningful leisure opportunities for children and young people through football.
It specifically targets the 65 areas identified by the Swedish Police Authority as vulnerable, with football activities already active in all of them.
According to project manager Thomas Tecle, the initiative aims to reinforce existing community strengths. Tecle noted: “A better path is about strengthening what already exists – the associations, the people and the driving force in the areas.
“With support from the state and the power of our partnerships, we can build strong associations where young people can find their place in association life.”
Good to know: The initiative will prioritise funding for hiring football and association developers who are rooted in the communities they serve
Victor Kalda, Sponsorship Manager at Svenska Spel, added: “As Sweden’s largest sports sponsor, we have a unique opportunity to drive change together with our partners.
“We want more young people to be able to take part in the football community and are happy to be involved and contribute to clubs being able to hire football developers.
“Football developers with unique knowledge of the area play an important role in being able to recruit new and support existing coaches in the best way and ensure the right training.”
This funding announcement follows Svenska Spel’s recent commitment to supporting gender equality in Swedish football through “The Coach Lift” initiative.
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