Premier League & Mayor Of London Launch Stewarding Academy

The Premier League and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, have launched a £1.2m partnership to create a first-of-its-kind Stewarding Academy designed to raise matchday standards, improve safety and create new career pathways across London football.

The new academy, delivered by Capital City College, will train thousands of football stewards in the capital and support the development of a more professionalised workforce for clubs and major event venues.

The jointly-funded initiative will provide training and employment routes for existing stewards and Londoners looking to enter the industry, with the aim of improving the matchday experience and strengthening the wider live events sector.

London’s football stewarding sector is facing sustained demand, with around 5,000 active stewards currently working across football and live events, and an estimated annual requirement for around 1,500 new stewards.

The partnership aims to help 1,500 Londoners achieve spectator safety qualifications and support 1,000 people into employment opportunities within the sector.

The Stewarding Academy will get under way this summer, with Capital City College providing industry-focused training covering the practical skills, confidence and qualifications required for stewarding and spectator safety roles.

The London roll-out is intended to establish a local model for steward recruitment, training and career progression, drawing on elements of the Mayor’s Skills Academies, which have supported more than 24,000 Londoners into work paying at least the London Living Wage.

The agreement will also support Premier League clubs in London as they work towards net-zero carbon emissions through the promotion of more sustainable practices.

Six Premier League clubs are currently based in London — Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur — with a longer-term ambition for the partnership to extend across all of the capital’s professional football clubs.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Football is at the heart of life in London and, with fans across the capital gripped by the game, I am delighted to partner with the Premier League, the most-watched domestic football league in the world, to launch this ground-breaking, first-of-its-kind Stewarding Academy as we look to create good jobs and raise standards for thousands of Londoners working in the football sector.

“Our new Stewarding Academy and wider partnership will deliver on my manifesto commitment to support these important workers, creating better jobs and opportunities for career progression.

“London is the sporting capital of the world and a global leader in major events and we are proud to work with the Premier League and our partners to build a safer and fairer city for everyone.”

Premier League Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer, Clare Sumner, said: “There are more than 15 million visits to Premier League stadiums each season, and we work alongside partners and the police to deliver safe and inclusive matchdays across the country.

“Our partnership with the Mayor will further develop the fan experience as part of our nationwide work to elevate the stewarding profession.

“Through this partnership, we are providing new employment and training opportunities for thousands of people, contributing to the safe and welcoming environment provided at 380 matches each season.”

Debbie Houghton, Group Principal Apprenticeships, Partnerships & Innovation at Capital City College, said: “We are proud to be delivering the Mayor and Premier League’s Stewarding Academy, and I am positive that this new cohort will play a vital role in creating safe, positive matchday experiences.

“Through our training courses, our students develop the skills and confidence to succeed as stewards at Premier League clubs across the country, and this year will be no different.

“From managing crowds to supporting football fans with ticket queries, directions and de-escalating situations, our stewards will be highly trained and ready for kick-off.”

The partnership builds on the Mayor of London’s commitment to work with the Premier League and English Football League on developing a skills academy for those working with football clubs in London.

It also forms part of the Premier League’s wider contribution to training and employment across the UK. The competition supported 104,500 full-time equivalent jobs in the 2023/24 season, while League-funded community programmes have helped tens of thousands of young people through employability-focused projects.