Pollok United named best grassroots football club in Europe

Glasgow's Pollok United have been named the best grassroots football club in Europe during 2025-26 for their work providing local communities with opportunities in football and well-being. European governing body Uefa has recognised the club for "transforming three disused sporting facilities in the city". It includes the 21-acre Nethercraigs, where the amateur club are now giving 550 regular players access to both football and other health and well-being activities.

After it was forced to close during the Covid pandemic, Pollok United worked with the city council and local partners to take over and re-open the site. Club manager Andy Elliot said: "It saved a critical facility in the south-west of Glasgow. The facility is absolutely in the heart of the community and we needed to open it up.

" Around 150 other local teams also now use the facility regularly, bringing the total of users per month up to 10,000 – including spectators and community use. Founded in 2011, Pollok United describe themselves as a club open to everyone from children to pensioners, working with groups like local schoolchildren, asylum seekers and refugees - the latter being hand-in-hand with the Scottish government's 'New Scots' programme to support integration for newcomers. All members of the community can access a gym, dance studio or athletics track.

Scottish FA head of community football Paul McNeill added: "We want our community clubs to anchor themselves within the community and provide other services, not just football. "Football is the key, but we also talk about the 'power of football' to involve all members of the community in different ways. "