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Barclays WSL Funding Up for Grabs: How to Score for Your Grassroots Club
- Amelie Kirk
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
There’s a specific kind of magic to grassroots football that you just don’t get anywhere else. I remember growing up in Melbourne, spending my weekends shivering on the sidelines watching my sister and friends play 11-a-side. It seemed like it was always raining, a relentless, grey drizzle that soaks right through your jacket, but nobody ever cared. We were too busy buzzing off the atmosphere. A raw and unfiltered passion that makes grassroots football unbeatable and it’s a feeling that has followed me everywhere.
These days, I’m living for the chaos of 7-a-side in London, the classic cage football madness where the ball is constantly ricocheting off the fences and the intensity is dialled up to eleven. Whether it’s the wide-open pitches back home or the tight, high-energy cages here, the best part is always the post-match debrief. There’s nothing quite like grabbing a pint with my mates after a game to rehash every tackle. But those of us who live for the weekend also know the reality behind the scenes. It is a grind and most definitely a difficult one.
I’ve seen the sheer amount of work it takes just to keep a club’s head above water, from the frustration of dealing with the old-school male pitch dominance to the endless, exhausting hunt for kit sponsors. It’s wild how much of their own time, effort and personal finances these girls pour into the sport they love, just to make sure the team can exist for one more season.
That’s exactly why the "Vote for Your Club" initiative matters. It’s not just a competition; it’s a chance to stop grafting in the shadows and actually get the recognition and resources that you deserve.
We’re talking about a significant funding pot that you can pump straight back into your community. This isn't about window dressing; it’s about fixing the issues that have been holding you back, whether that’s finally getting decent facilities, buying new equipment or easing the financial burden on the players who are already giving everything.
The rewards go even further. The winning club gets an experience that feels like a massive level-up. You’ll be heading out to watch a 2026/27 Barclays WSL or WSL2 match, which is the perfect excuse to get the whole squad together and soak up the atmosphere of the professional game. The real highlight, though, is the chance to host a training session with two professional Barclays WSL or WSL2 players. Watching your squad line up for drills alongside the people they look up to is the kind of experience that changes your perspective on what’s possible.
Winning this is a winner-takes-all scenario, so you have to want it more than the club down the road.
The strategy is simple, but you have to be disciplined. You need to be ruthless about your admin to ensure every single vote counts. Pick one exact version of your club name, spelling, punctuation and all and make sure every single person in your orbit uses that exact format. If half your supporters write "Wildcats" and the other half try "The Wildcats U20s" you’re just splitting your own vote and handing the advantage to someone else. Pin the correct name to your group chats, blast it on your social feeds and make sure nobody deviates.
From there, it’s about keeping the energy high. Don’t just drop a link and hope for the best. This is a campaign. Share the vision, tell your story and remind your friends, family and supporters why your club is the heart of your local area.
You’re already doing the heavy lifting on the pitch every single week. Now, it’s time to show the rest of the country what your club is made of. The prize is ready, the competition is intense and the glory is waiting. Are you going to sit back and watch another club take the win or are you going to step up and claim it?
Find all the information and enter your club HERE. It only takes a minute.
