£9.00

Home team – how communities once pushed to the edges of football are making the grassroots game their own

As elite football becomes increasingly expensive and distant, many fans are turning to grassroots clubs for something cheaper, closer and more human. But these clubs are doing more than reviving people’s love of the game. They are welcoming communities once excluded from football and creating places where people can belong. On and off the pitch, they are also becoming a force for social change, giving children somewhere safe to play and helping volunteers rebuild pride in their neighbourhoods.

Other features include: The sea shanty band riding a new wave • How quantum farming could help tackle climate change • The new policy that hopes to revamp school lunches • How design is helping Palestinian children play • Why Brazilians live so long • How Maasai warriors are adapting their traditions • Author Matt Haig on acceptance • The library bus bringing joy to children in Syria • The over-50’s circus rewriting the rules of play • Why the closure of shipping routes might benefit the green transition • Alt-J’s life lessons • Life after oil • The sign language interpreter bringing gigs to life for deaf fans • You told us: how do you forge meaningful connections?

Published 8 July 2026