Football clubs are at the heart of communities, serving as vital hubs where the benefit extends beyond the pitch. Cardiff City FC Community Foundation’s programmes use the unique appeal of Cardiff City FC, bringing people together through a shared passion for football and the club, where factors such as age, disability, faith, and ethnicity aren’t barriers to participation.

In partnership with Cardiff Council’s Refugee Resettlement Department, the Foundation supported families who were residing across Cardiff, with the ‘Football for All’ project, generously funded by The National Lottery.

Quick to adapt and react to the changing circumstances of refugee and asylum seekers in the city, they created a programme of support including workshops, half term football camps and tournaments that would help increase their physical and mental wellbeing and offer a pathway into other community activities, helping to create a cohesive community feeling.

Community Foundation coaches delivered football coaching sessions designed not only to get participants active but to improve English language skills and equip them with the tools to be able to continue with football sessions after their resettlement period and integrate within local communities.

The Foundation also created opportunities for wider community integration, offering beneficiaries tours of the Cardiff City Stadium, matchday experiences and making use of the sports facilities that we use across the City.

The impact of these sessions reached far beyond the field, they created much needed routine through safe, and social spaces for individuals who had faced immense challenges and displacement.

This project shows that football can transcend cultural and linguistic barriers, allowing participants to find joy and camaraderie on the pitch, foster a sense of belonging, and build new connections within the community. In times of crisis, sport can act as a powerful tool for healing and bringing communities together.