New Four Year Contract For Tesco Bank Football Challenge And Scottish FA

Renewal has been announced today of a new four year Tesco Bank Football Challenge partnership with the Scottish FA. The last four years of the programme have been a great success, with over 82,000 children across more than 2000 primary schools in Scotland taking part. The next four years will focus on continuing to grow participation.

A new objective between Tesco Bank and the Scottish FA will ensure relationships are built and strengthened between schools and football clubs so that there is a clear way for pupils to progress and build on their enjoyment of playing football. To that end, the Scottish FA and Tesco Bank will announce further developments to the programme in 2015.

The programme recognises and rewards schools that increase participation and raise standards as well as increasing links from schools football to lifelong participation.

The Tesco Bank Football Challenge is an eight-year community programme run in partnership with the Scottish FA. The initiative introduces football to Primary Two and Primary Three children (six to eight years old) across Scotland to help get them engage in a healthy and active lifestyle.

Children participate in a six-week block of football coaching with qualified Scottish FA coaches, before participating in regional festivals across the country, many of which are held at high-profile venues including St Mirren Park, Rugby Park, and Tynecastle Stadium. A national festival at Hampden Park brings the school year of football to a memorable close.