Arsenal Football Club contributed more than half a billion pounds to the UK economy in a single season, according to a major new study by EY.
The findings, which were published in our Economic and Social Impact Report, found we also supported 4,400 UK jobs and reached more than 14,000 people through our community projects during the 2022/23 season.
The report highlights our longstanding commitment to driving economic and social progress, which we delivers through numerous community-focused initiatives including the work of Arsenal in the Community and our registered charity, The Arsenal Foundation.
One of our most successful initiatives is the Positive Futures Programme, marking its 20th anniversary this year. Combining football, sports activities, mentoring, and pathways into community volunteering and employment, the programme supports individuals living in local estates across Islington.
Kai Brennan, who is now an Arsenal in the Community coach, talks about his transformative experience with Positive Futures: “The first time I heard about Positive Futures, I was very little – I was about seven years old. I remember walking through Harvist Estate with my mum and my twin.
“Knowing it was free was a huge relief. The first session I went to, I just remember being happy in the environment. The coaches were great, supportive, and ensured that I was in a safe environment.
“Being part of social inclusion has changed me in a positive way – it’s made me feel ambitious and given me a goal to push towards, which is to be a fully licensed football coach. Being part of Arsenal is like being part of a family – you support each other no matter what. It also gives me the confidence to take on any challenges that come my way and to try new things whether it be within Arsenal or outside of Arsenal. I’m prouder of myself than I have ever been.”
Key findings from the report, which covers the 2022/23 season, include:
• We delivered £616 million in economic value* (GVA) to the UK economy, with £425 million contributed in our home borough of Islington
• We helped generate £228 million in UK tax revenue
• More than 4,400 jobs in the UK and 1,600 local jobs in Islington were supported
• 14,000 people participated in AITC initiatives, which delivered over 140,000 hours of community-based activity
• We attracted 1.6 million supporters to Emirates Stadium and more than 9,500 supporters to Meadow Park, resulting in positive economic effects on local businesses and the surrounding community
Read the full report below:
Richard Garlick, our Managing Director, said, “Arsenal brings so much to our community beyond the football we play. Creating a sense of belonging and driving progress in our communities has been central to who we are since we were established in 1886. We cherish that heritage and the positive impact we continue to make.
"We are proud to publish our first Economic and Social impact report today. EY’s independent analysis shows the economic contribution that we make to the local and national economy, delivering £616million of economic value to the UK.
“We hope the report, along with the stories shared by people in our local community, will bring to life the contribution Arsenal makes to the prosperity of the local communities we serve and the impact we have beyond Islington too.”
Cllr Santiago Bell-Bradford, Executive Member for Inclusive Economy, Culture & Jobs, added, “Our ambition is to create a more equal Islington, and we believe that to achieve that, our residents and businesses must have a genuine stake in their local community and economy.
“Arsenal has acted for our community and supported the local economy for over 100 years. This report brings to life many of the ways in which we work in partnership with Arsenal to nurture young people, support jobs and instil a strong sense of pride and belonging in our borough. We're excited to continue to move forward in partnership to make Islington more equal and prosperous for all.”
The Arsenal Economic and Social Impact report also outlines the work we are doing to support the environment. In 2020, we were the first Premier League club to endorse the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework and, last week, became the first club in the world to have a net-zero target approved by the globally respected Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), ensuring its climate action plan for net-zero aligns with the most ambitious pathway to limit global temperature rises.
*Gross Value Added (GVA) is a measure of economic activity which can be viewed as the incremental contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It therefore provides a useful measure for understanding the economic contribution made by particular industries, or businesses, such as Arsenal.
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