FA and PayPal launch app to benefit grassroots football

Over a million players of the grassroots game will be able to pay their match fees through the new app, the FA have revealed.

Many clubs face the issue of late or missing payments, but the move is designed to encourage clubs to move away from cash or bank transactions.

A survey of over 800 grassroots clubs, carried out by the FA, discovered that millions of pounds worth of fees go uncollected each season.

The app will be made available to 20,120 clubs across 92,615 teams, meaning that 1,389,225 players will have access to the FA Matchday app.

Lee Dixon, who scored once in 22 appearances for England, said the partnership between the game’s governing body and PayPal helps solve a long-standing problem in grassroots football that has existed “for years”.

“Things haven’t really changed in decades. When I first started playing, my mum would give me a couple of pounds to pay my subs, which I’d tuck into my sock.

“Come full-time I’d have lost the coins and my manager would be out of pocket.”

Clubs in the Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues, and those in the Premier Division and below qualify as ‘grassroots’.

Team managers, secretaries and coaches will be able to access the app to organise training, select team line-ups and share updates, scores and league standings.

Russell James, director of digital engagement at The FA, said:

“This signals our intent to further bring grassroots football into the digital age, making the game more accessible for all. “

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