West Riding FA has been successfully shortlisted for two awards at the 2022 County FA Recognition Awards.



The Awards, which will be announced at Wembley Stadium connected by EE on Thursday 15 September 2022, recognise and endorse the best projects, products and services delivered by County FAs over the past two seasons while sharing best practice and learnings from around the country. 



A record breaking 235 submissions have been entered from the 50 County FAs operating across England, highlighting continuous improvements and showcasing how they are innovating to improve grassroots football and increase participation across all levels of the game.  



The eleven categories which will be recognised at the awards were:  


Brand Engagement 

Coach Development 

Digital Engagement 

Employee Engagement 

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 

Football Development 

Insight & Data 

Partnership 

Special recognition 

Women & Girls 

Youth Engagement 

West Riding FA has made the final shortlist for the Brand Engagement award for our iCan campaign and also the Women & Girls award for our Women's Beginner League.

The iCan campaign shares exclusive stories of how individuals from West Riding got involved in football whether it be playing, refereeing, coaching or volunteering, what they love about it and what advice they would give to others thinking about getting involved or are already involved. 

The aim is to spread the positivity around getting involved in football in whichever capacity that is, potentially inspiring further participation in the game in the form of new players, coaches, referees and volunteers.

The Women's Beginner League was setup on the back of our successful ‘Mums Can Play’ provision which launched in 2018 and the demand for a league to represent the players and teams alike.

The league provides a competitive opportunity for women who have little or no experience of playing football to play in an environment that is suited to their ability and now has over 200 women playing weekly in the league.

The FA’s Head of Operations for Grassroots Football, said  “I’d like to congratulate West Riding FA in making the final shortlist for the Brand Engagement and Women & Girls Award and all of the other County FAs for their excellent submissions which are testament to their dedication and achievements over the past two seasons. 


“The long-standing partnership between the FA and County FAs is a crucial part of our long-term strategy for grassroots football. The partnership is committed to serving those that participate and are involved in the game, and providing the leadership needed to ensure future generations continue to enjoy and benefit from our national game. 


“We look forward to recognising and rewarding our County FAs at Wembley Stadium in September and thanking each and every one of them for the vital work they deliver across their local communities.”