Grassroots Football Awards

The Community Club of the Year award highlights a FAW Accredited and Affiliated club that deserves special recognition for their outstanding contribution to football and their local community. Clubs are a focal part of their communities and this award honors those clubs that are active, successful and well-managed whilst retaining and attracting participants and volunteers.

A nominee may have launched new teams or initiatives in the past year, addressed inequalities within their community and/or provide a full pathway for people to grow and develop.

With the FAW’s key values (Excellence, Family and Respect) at the forefront of all activity and strategic planning, the club creates a safe, fun and inclusive environment for ALL.

This award recognises the outstanding contribution of a coach at a grassroots club or FAW Participation Programme (ie. McDonald’s Fun Football). Having a minimum qualification of the FAW Football Leaders Award, this coach goes above and beyond what is expected of them!

Whether inspiring young players, creating a positive environment for growth, or dedicating their time to continually develop themselves, this coach helps others enjoy and succeed in football.

With the FAW’s key values (Excellence, Family and Respect) at the heart of every session, the winner is a coach who fosters inclusivity whilst encourages people to start, stay and/or succeed in football through high quality coaching.  

The Volunteer of the Year award celebrates the dedicated individuals who make grassroots football possible. These volunteers play a crucial role behind the scenes, handling the off-pitch tasks that are essential to keeping the game going whilst providing opportunities for their local communities.

This award is for someone who contributes their time and skills to enable others to take part in football through a non-coaching capacity from being an administrator to a mental health first aider; someone who supports others and helps grow the game.

Guided by the FAW’s key values (Excellence, Family and Respect), the winner may be a club volunteer, committee member or innovative league member that has enabled football to thrive in any window of opportunity.  

This award recognises an individual, aged 21 and younger, who is dedicated to making grassroots football enjoyable and accessible for everyone.

The nominee has made a meaningful impact on football within their community, serving as a positive role model who encourages, supports and inspires others. They embody the FAW’s key values of Excellence, Family and Respect, and may have connected with their local community to create additional opportunities that promote both physical and mental wellbeing. These young people are the future of our game across Cymru, shaping the next generation of players, coaches and leaders in the sport.

This award is for a McDonald’s Fun Football provider that organises the best ‘turn up and play’ sessions in Wales and has had a significant impact on football participation.

Working towards our key values (Excellence, Family and Respect), they provide informal, organised football activity with an emphasis placed on skill development through creative football practice, ensuring that all participants have a fun and exciting experience of the game. The winner of this award will be a provider that is inclusive and provides the essential positive first experience of football. 

This award recognises a match official’s dedication to grassroots football and plays their role in supporting the game at all levels across Wales. A referee can be officiating at any level of Welsh football, advocating the FAW’s key values of Excellence, Family & Respect in every aspect of their work. The winner may also be someone that acts as a mentor, supporting new players and/or referees into the game through their work with local clubs, leagues, Area Associations and/or referee societies.

This award highlights an individual who has shown dedication and commitment to grassroots football for many years. This individual is a respected role model within their local community, continually creating opportunities for others through their work with a club or league. Throughout their time involved in football, they have consistently displayed the FAW’s key values of Excellence, Family and Respect, and their outstanding contribution to the sport deserves to be recognised.

This award recognises a special individual, club, league or group who uses the power of football to positively impact and/or save people’s lives. This award may be for someone who has embedded a safeguarding culture across the club, provides a platform for children and young people to influence change, removes barriers and creates opportunities for people with disabilities or from ethnically diverse communities. 

Alternatively, they may be using football as a vehicle to support economic, social, environmental and/or cultural well-being, contributing towards making Cymru a better place for its people, now and in the future. Linking to the FAW’s Sustainability Strategy, Cymru, Well-being and the World, the winner of this award is progressive and advocates for local and global issues off the pitch impacting our game and communities. 

Committed to the impact the wider football family can have on the community, now and for future generations, the winner is conducting work off the pitch that may improve the nation’s health by focusing on prevention and early intervention, ensuring that facilities create a positive impact and are fit for the future, whilst shifting mindsets and team culture to live the change we want to see in others. 

This award provides an opportunity to recognise the outstanding contributions made by McDonald’s restaurant teams across the country in support of grassroots football. Many McDonald’s restaurants are partnered with local football clubs, working tirelessly to support these teams in various ways – from providing kits for players, to providing governance support, and even helping to run teams and organise training sessions. The commitment shown by restaurant teams and their franchisees is vital in growing football across Wales.