Cardiff City Charity Supports Record 17700 People in Cardiff 2026

Key Points

• According to Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, more than 17,700 participants in seven different local authorities were helped during the last season, making this their most impactful year.
• This was mentioned during the Annual Impact Celebration of the Foundation, held at the Cardiff City Stadium on 30 September 2026.
• During the meeting, the 2025-26 Impact Report was launched, showing that partnerships made with the Foundation resulted in a revenue of over £66 million over the last two seasons.
• The meeting was hosted by Welsh Traitors Legend, Motivational Speaker, and Foundation Ambassador Andrew Jenkins.
• Former Cardiff City FC player Roger Gibbins explained how the 1927 Club expanded alongside the Premier League Foundation and the PFA.
• Participants presented examples of partnerships with organizations such as The BUSY Group to offer alternative educational routes for secondary aged children together with family testimonies from disability football programs.
• CEO of Cardiff City FC Community Foundation Zac Lyndon-Jones stressed the importance of every statistical number, as it means a human connection.
• Cardiff City FC Executive Director & CEO Ken Choo thanked employees for their commitment and congratulated the recipients for their personal achievements.
• This charity plans to continue expanding regionally, using the help of sports, education, and community activities to support more children, young people, and families in South Wales.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) October 7, 2026 – The official charity of Cardiff City Football Club has announced a landmark period of growth, confirming that more than 17,700 participants engaged with its community, educational, and sporting programmes across seven local authorities last season. The milestone figures were officially unveiled during the organisation’s Annual Impact Celebration Event at the Cardiff City Stadium, bringing together key stakeholders, funders, supporters, and project beneficiaries to reflect on a record-breaking operational year.

What Are the Key Findings of the 2025-26 Cardiff City FC Community Foundation Impact Report?

As detailed by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, the release of the Foundation’s 2025-26 Impact Report quantified the extensive reach and economic value generated by the charity across South Wales. According to the report highlighted by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, collaborative partnerships established by the Foundation have successfully generated over £66 million across the last two financial seasons.

The high-profile celebration event, staged on 30 September, was hosted by Andrew Jenkins—hailed as a Welsh Traitors Legend, motivational speaker, and official Ambassador for the Foundation. Attendees heard direct testimonies from individuals whose lives have been transformed through targeted initiatives focusing on health and wellbeing, essential learning and skills development, and stronger community cohesion.

How Is the Foundation Expanding Its Reach Across South Wales?

The scope of the charity’s initiatives spans multiple demographics, leveraging the pulling power of football to drive positive social outcomes. As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, former Cardiff City FC player Roger Gibbins addressed the audience regarding his involvement in the ongoing expansion of the 1927 Club, an initiative financially supported by both the Premier League Foundation and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).

Furthermore, additional panel discussions illuminated collaborative efforts with external agencies. As noted by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, panellists elaborated on partnerships with organisations such as The BUSY Group, which aim to offer secondary-aged children alternative, supportive pathways in education. Families also stepped forward to share how disability football programmes have successfully fostered closer ties both with the professional football club and within their own households.

What Did Leadership Say About the Record-Breaking Year?

Reflecting on the organisation’s achievements, leadership figures emphasised the human element driving the statistics. As stated by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, Zac Lyndon-Jones, CEO at Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, remarked:

“This event has been a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the people behind our work and hear first-hand about the difference our programmes are making. The numbers tell an important story, but behind every number is a person, a relationship and a moment that matters.”

Mr Lyndon-Jones further added, as quoted by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247:

“We’re incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last year, but our focus now is on creating even more of those moments — for more children, young people, families and communities across South Wales.”

Echoing these sentiments from a club governance perspective, Ken Choo, Cardiff City FC Executive Director & CEO, shared his insights at the morning gathering. As published by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, Ken Choo stated:

“Hearing from our Community Foundation’s beneficiaries in Cardiff this morning really brings home the impact that our Club is having on the people in our local communities. I’d like to thank the Community Foundation’s staff for their continued effort and congratulate the beneficiaries on their progress. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

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What Are the Future Plans for the Cardiff City FC Community Foundation?

Building upon its current operational footprint, the Foundation intends to sustain its trajectory of growth. Operating primarily across South Wales, the charity utilises the unifying platform of association football to deliver structured interventions. Moving forward, executive leadership has confirmed intentions to scale up service delivery, ensuring that a greater volume of children, young people, and local families can access critical educational, sporting, and social inclusion projects.

Background of the Development

The Cardiff City FC Community Foundation operates as the official charitable arm of Cardiff City Football Club, functioning independently while harnessing the club’s badge, brand, and professional status to engage vulnerable or underserved demographics. Over the past decade, professional football clubs across the United Kingdom have increasingly formalised their community outreach through dedicated charitable foundations, often backed by umbrella organisations such as the Premier League Charitable Fund and the EFL Trust. These trusts typically receive substantial funding from elite television rights revenues, elite player contributions, and corporate partnerships.

In recent years, the Cardiff-based charity has steadily scaled its operations across regional local authorities, shifting from traditional football coaching into holistic community development. This includes targeted intervention schemes addressing mental health, educational disenfranchisement among teenagers, disability sports integration, and employability skills. The generation of over £66 million across two seasons reflects a broader trend within sports philanthropy, where measurable social return on investment (SROI) is increasingly utilised to justify funding streams from corporate partners, government grants, and football authorities.

This sustained expansion and record-breaking engagement by the Cardiff City FC Community Foundation are poised to generate significant positive social and economic dividends for local communities throughout South Wales. For the primary audience—encompassing local children, secondary-school students facing educational barriers, families of disabled participants, and vulnerable adults—this development translates into enhanced access to free or heavily subsidised support services, mentorship, and alternative educational pathways.

From a regional perspective, the continued scaling of the Foundation’s programmes can alleviate pressures on local educational and social services by fostering better health outcomes, improved school attendance, and enhanced employability skills among disengaged youth. Furthermore, as the charity deepens its corporate partnerships with entities like The BUSY Group and receives backing from bodies such as the Premier League Foundation, local businesses and regional stakeholders will likely experience a more skilled, resilient local workforce and stronger community cohesion over the coming years.