Andy Devaney
Football might be sold to us as the beautiful game, but the Manchester United Foundation is a reminder that its real beauty lives off the pitch—quiet, consistent, and genuinely life-changing.
Forget the trophies and transfer gossip for a minute; this is impact you can actually measure. According to the Foundation’s 2024/25 Impact Report, over 41,000 young people have been supported this season alone, generating more than £60 million in social and economic value. That’s not hype—that’s communities across Greater Manchester being lifted, one young life at a time.
The Foundation’s latest report, backed by an independent evaluation from research specialists Substance, confirmed an astonishing £61,256,384 in total social and economic value generated. To put that in real-world terms, for every single pound spent, the Manchester United Foundation delivered £11.57 worth of benefit back into the communities it serves. In a landscape where youth services are often starved of funding, that’s not just impressive—it’s game-changing.
Across the 2024/25 season, the Foundation worked across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester and extended its reach into London, Carlisle, Derbyshire and Northern Ireland. Its coaches, the unsung heroes of this operation, delivered more than 49,000 hours across 125 different projects—ranging from school engagement and mental health initiatives to sports programmes for young people with disabilities. In total, there were 517,304 free attendances by participants aged between five and eighteen, each one representing a chance to learn, grow and dream bigger.
The Manchester United Foundation’s impact doesn’t stop at community sessions or football clinics. The charity also benefits from a loyal fanbase that understands what the badge stands for. Through matchday donations, online checkout round-ups, and season ticket fundraising schemes, supporters raised over £660,000 for the Foundation last season alone. That brings the total raised since 2022 to more than £2 million—proof that United’s global following is as generous as it is passionate.
Among the stories highlighted in the report is Hunter, a young participant who credits the Foundation’s Ability Counts PAN-disability football programme for changing his life. Now, he’s paying that support forward.
“I wanted to give back after everything the Foundation has done for me, and I have raised over £2,000,” Hunter said. “I’ve learnt new skills, become more sociable and confident, and developed my leadership skills. I’ve met friends for life, and I’m really happy and grateful for all the amazing opportunities I’ve been given.”
His words capture the heart of what the Foundation stands for—empowerment through inclusion. Football might be the hook, but it’s the human connection that keeps young people coming back, season after season.
Collette Roche, chair of the Foundation and chief operating officer of Manchester United, reinforced that message.
“Young people being given the opportunity to thrive is something that Manchester United proudly stands for – on and off the pitch – and is epitomised by the Foundation,” she said. “As this report demonstrates, this philosophy is needed more than ever in our communities, and I am proud to see the Foundation and our fans setting the standard for providing such vital support.”
In a world where headlines are often dominated by transfer fees and sponsorship deals, the Manchester United Foundation is quietly redefining what it means for a football club to make an impact. From mentoring programmes and literacy workshops to health initiatives and inclusive sports sessions, the charity’s reach continues to expand—fuelled by the same spirit that built Old Trafford into a cathedral of football in the first place.
The Foundation’s mission remains simple but profound: to use the influence of Manchester United to create a better future for young people. And judging by this season’s results, it’s not just working—it’s thriving.
To explore the full report and watch the Foundation’s 2024/25 Impact Video, visit www.mufoundation.org.
