Great news for football in Hull today, as Hull City Ladies FC are celebrating receiving funding from the Premier League to help them prepare for the restart of football and safe return of supporters to their stadium.

The Matchday Support Fund grant will help Hull City Ladies FC put in place measures that will make their ground safer for the 2020/21 season given the challenges caused by COVID-19.

This will help with transportation for away days, further safety measures for staff, players and spectators at Haworth Park and our office at K2.

The Matchday Support Fund is managed by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), which is financed by the Premier League and supports non-league and Women’s Football Pyramid clubs with the cost of improvements to their grounds.

The Matchday Support Fund follows the recent Pitch and Club Preparation Funds, which saw £8.7m in grants awarded by the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation to prepare the country’s playing surfaces and facilities for the return of football.

Beth van Tilburg, Secretary and Welfare Officer, said: “This will help Hull City Ladies FC continue to operate safely and effectively. The safety of our staff, players and supporters is of paramount importance to us. We would like to encourage our supporters to continue to enjoy football and support the Tigresses in a safe and welcoming environment at Haworth Park.

As always we are keen to work together with the community and would welcome any feedback from those that have already attended or are attending in the near future. We are always striving to improve and be the best we can be.”

About the Matchday Support Fund

The application window for the Matchday Support Fund is open from 2 September to 5pm on 16 September to eligible National League System clubs in Steps 1-6, the Welsh Premier League and women’s clubs in Tiers 1-5. In total, 65 leagues and more than 1,100 clubs are able to benefit from this financial support. For more information visit: https://footballfoundation.org.uk/grant/matchday-support-fund.

About the Football Stadia Improvement Fund

The FSIF is solely funded by the Premier League and is the country’s largest provider of grants towards projects that help improve the comfort and safety of lower-league football grounds in both the professional and amateur game. These improvements range from new football stands and turnstiles to floodlighting and improved provision for disabled supporters.