Bradford City FC Community Foundation coach Alireza Sarwari named Premier League Community Captain

Alireza Sarwari, a Bradford City FC Community Foundation coach, has been named a Premier League Community Captain.

Coaching with the Foundation at their weekly Premier League Kicks sessions, which provide free football for young people in the city, Ali has been recognised for his commitment and dedication to his work as both a coach and a role model for the young people he works with.

Ali said: “I was very surprised and happy to receive this award. It's been great working at the Foundation and coaching with Kicks - I've learnt a lot since I joined, and everyone on the team has been really helpful and supportive. I'm honoured to have been recognised, and can't wait to continue on my journey here."

Ali initially joined Premier League Kicks as a participant on the programme in November 2021, participating in the free football sessions the programme provides. After becoming too old to attend the sessions as a participant, Ali was approached by Foundation staff to continue his journey with the project as a coach in April 2025. Since then, Ali has coached hundreds of young people who regularly attend the weekly football sessions, forming positive relationships and acting as a consistent source of support and sporting encouragement during that time.

Darrel Walker, Premier League Kicks Coordinator at the Bradford City FC Community Foundation, said: "It has been a privilege to see Ali grow in his time with us. Since he began attending our Premier League Kicks sessions, I could tell that he was a committed, mature and dedicated young man, and seeing him named a Community Captain is a fantastic way to mark a step in his journey. I was proud to present him with the award, and would like to recognise his commitment and passion to Premier League Kicks, which he brings to every single session we run."

Ali was presented with his Community Captain trophy, captain’s armband and pennant during the Foundation’s annual Community Takeover Day on Saturday 7th March. The presentation took place in the Foundation’s TL Dallas Community Stand, which welcomed over a thousand participants, stakeholders, junior clubs and schools from across the Foundation’s network to see Bradford City AFC’s victory over Leyton Orient, including many of the young people Ali coaches through Premier League Kicks. 

The presentation took place ahead of the Premier League’s ‘More Than A Game’ initiative. ‘More Than A Game’ showcases the Premier League’s long-standing commitment to supporting the community activity of clubs at all levels of the game, as well as investing in other areas including the non-league system, grassroots facilities and women’s and girls’ football.

Premier League Kicks

This season is the 20th anniversary of Premier League Kicks, which sees 93 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs delivering free weekly football and personal-development Sessions.

Since the launch of the programme, which uses the power of football to inspire young people to reach their potential, more than 600,000 young people have participated at over 5,000 venues across England and Wales. Sessions take place in some of the most under-served communities, supporting those who need it most.

An independent evaluation of Premier League Kicks found that 93 per cent of alumni believe the programme helped them get into less trouble and avoid negative influence, with 91 per cent learning more about the impact of crime and anti-social behaviour, helping to change attitudes and choices.

Premier League Foundation

The Premier League provides funding for 164 football clubs across the Premier League, EFL

and National League to deliver community programmes. The majority of these (106) are funded through the Premier League Foundation, which was established in 2010 to create positive sporting, health, personal and education opportunities for children, young people and the wider Community.

Annual investment via the Premier League Foundation has almost quadrupled in just over a

decade, with the Premier League committing more than £425 million since its formation in 2010 up to 2028.

More than 2.5 million participants have benefited from regular face-to-face delivery on

Premier League programmes, with 1.3 million young people engaged annually through digital resources.

Currently, over 7,500 people are employed by football club charities to deliver Premier

League-supported activity.

An independent study by social research agency Substance found that Premier League club charity and Premier League Foundation programmes will alone generate more than

£4.3 billion in social value over the current three-year investment cycle (2025-2028).