As we continue our series on sports and athlete-run charities, we turn our attention to Liverpool Football Club’s (FC) LFC Foundation. As the charitable branch of one of England’s most decorated football clubs, it has worked with fans from the Merseyside area, where the city of Liverpool is in the United Kingdom. The foundation has connected with thousands of citizens, using physical education, health and wellness initiatives, employment and professional training, and community engagement.
Just last football season, the charity said it helped more than 123,000 people. That was a 47% increase from the 2021–22 season. Almost 20% of participants come from some of the underserved areas of the U.K. More than £5 million ($6.2 million) has been pumped into the Liverpool City economy, and over £32 million ($40.1 million) in health benefits have been delivered.
According to a LFC Foundation impact report, participants reported an 89% increase in mental health well-being, and 90% said their physical fitness improved.
In October, star player Mohamed Salah met with a group of young footballers as he shared his life story and offered wisdom. The footballers were refugees from other countries training at Liverpool’s facilities. They did a Q&A and some football drills while discussing the power of self-belief and hard work.
“If you have a good vision and you believe inside you that there is a bright light there, you can achieve big things,” Salah said at the event. “I believe if you work hard and you have a good vision, all your dreams will happen. All of them.”
Outside the training ground, the club held a gala with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to raise money for kids suffering from respiratory and endocrine ailments. The medical facility has helped more than 333,000 kids in the U.K. Over £950,000 ($1.2 million) was raised, and proceeds will help build a new neonatal unit.
Before the Merseyside Derby against Everton at Anfield, the foundation invited Everton’s refugee football team to play against Liverpool’s refugee team. It was the first 11-a-side game for both teams. Liverpool came out as victors, 5–1, but the game represented unity between the two clubs. It was part of the Premier League’s No Room For Racism initiative.
Photo Courtesy Liverpool FC
“The Merseyside derby is one of the biggest games in the football calendar, so for the LFC Foundation and Everton in the Community being able to use on-field rivalry to be able to be able to create moments like this for our participants and play at the Liverpool Academy is such a great feeling,” Liam Gerrard, inclusion coordinator, said in a LFC news article.
As part of their community engagement, the foundation hosted the inaugural Kip on the Kop event at Anfield. Fans stayed the night at the stadium to raise money and awareness for homelessness relief in Liverpool.
The money went toward Liverpool Homeless FC and LFC’s Global Works program, which provides sports-based employability sessions and mentoring for young people who were once homeless. The event raised £65,000.
LFC Foundation’s Youth Works program partners with Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, PFA, Liverpool City Council, and Liverpool Educational Grants Trust. The program helps youth workers in the Liverpool region find employment opportunities and apprenticeships. In the last two and a half years, the foundation has sent six apprentices to complete training and earn their Youth Works qualification.
In November 2023, the first team surprised local school children at the AXA Training Center during a Nike “Game On” event. The Game On initiative is a Liverpool-Nike collaboration to give Merseyside kids sports opportunities. Kids aged 7–12 from underserved communities are welcome. The first team signed autographs and helped the kids train.
Photo Courtesy Liverpool FC
Heading into the holiday season, the club worked with the Radio City Breakfast Show, a local radio show. Operation Christmas Magic saw the LFC Foundation and the radio channel work together to relieve child poverty through fan donations. Food poverty was also being tackled, with food donations ahead of December matches at Anfield. Winter Wonderland was also held on Dec. 9 for families to enjoy.
