Skip to main content
GMB dismayed as figures show council pitches are being closed at an alarming rate

BRITISH football’s recent success is in danger, according to union GMB, after figures showed that more than 700 council pitches have been lost to Tory austerity.

In a week where four English teams competed for European club football’s biggest prizes, and Scotland and England are set to face each other in the Women’s World Cup, the news that the next generation are losing areas to hone their talent is devastating.

With the government slashing council spending by 49 per cent since 2010, kids’ playing spaces have been one of the hardest hit areas.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
El_Hassan
Women's Football / 14 August 2026
14 August 2026
Assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis
Women in football / 7 August 2026
7 August 2026
Cartoon: Malc McGookin
Men’s football / 31 July 2026
31 July 2026

Resistance grows as Fifa seeks to hand private investors a slice of the international game, writes JAMES NALTON

Mexico fans cheer at Shell Energy Stadium, home of the MLS soccer club Houston Dynamo, as they watch a live broadcast in Houston, of a World Cup soccer round of 32 match between Mexico and Ecuador, Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Men’s Football / 10 July 2026
10 July 2026

England survived a thrilling Azteca encounter, but the stadium and its supporters created one of the tournament’s defining nights, writes JAMES NALTON