Thousands of football pitches will be built to boost 2030 World Cup bid

The Chancellor has set aside over £200million to build or improve 8,500 community football pitches across the country in today’s Budget.

Rishi Sunak has also promised an additional £11million funding to support the UK’s bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

He told the Commons: ‘As we level up public services, we are also levelling up communities, restoring the pride people feel in the places they call home.’

In addition to pumping money into community football pitches, the Chancellor said the Treasury would provide £560million for youth services – enough to fund up to 300 youth clubs.

He also announced £9million to turn 100 areas of derelict land and £1.7billion to invest ‘in the infrastructure of everyday life’, under the first round of bids for the Government’s ‘Levelling Up Fund’.

The Chancellor has announced £150billion of new spending, including £6.9billion to improve regional public transport, more money for the NHS and a pay rise for public sector workers.

However with inflation expected to average 4% over the next year, the Unison union has said the 3% offer to NHS workers would amount to a real-terms pay cut.

Sunak has also cut duties on lower strength alcohol including beer and cider as a means of helping pubs that have suffered over the course of the Covid pandemic.

The Chancellor, who is teetotal, is believed to be committed to simplifying the alcohol tax system, which has been described as complicated and outdated.

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