It’s been an agonising month for the millions of men, women and children across the UK who play football on a weekly basis, and with their players desperate to return, the UK’s leading small-sided football operator, Powerleague, didn’t waste a second in welcoming a lucky group of players back onto its hallowed turf, hosting a unique match at its Newham centre in London within seconds of the national lockdown lifting.

The match was played out between a lucky group of local players who’d been itching to get back playing football. The match was officiated by Arsenal Fan TV’s very own ‘Don’ Robbie Lyle, who was assisted by AFTV regular Kelechi Anyikude.

Christian Rose, Powerleague CEO, said, “We’re thrilled to be able to open our doors once again, and we didn’t want to waste a minute in doing so! It’s great that we’ve been able to do this here in Newham and we can’t wait for our players to get back to doing what they love up and down the country.

“The most important thing for everybody at Powerleague is to now ensure that we are able to stay open permanently, so we can continue to serve local communities and support the physical and mental wellbeing of our players through providing safe and secure environments for them to exercise and socialise in, which is particularly vital in the current climate.”

At a time when many businesses are sadly closing their doors, Powerleague is investing in the future health and wellbeing of the nation. They recently opened a new site in Harrow and are continuing to offer communities the opportunity to enjoy small-sided football in a safe and secure environment. Powerleague will also continue to offer free daytime football for NHS staff, as it has been doing since it first re-opened following the first national lockdown.

With lockdown 2.0 now over, Powerleague centres across England are once again open for social and league matches. Restrictions regarding clubhouse facilities may vary depending on which tier the club’s location is in.

For anyone wanting to join Powerleague or book a pitch, visit powerleague.co.uk