We are excited to announce a new partnership with bank payment company GoCardless.

GoCardless will become Kent FA’s official Payments Partner as well as a Community Investment Partner for women's and girls' football  within the County, reinforcing its commitment to growing the game at all levels.

Through this collaboration, GoCardless will support a Women and Girls Football Extravaganza on 8 March, a key event aimed at inspiring and empowering female players and supporting and educating female match officials and coaches from across the county. This event will feature friendly matches, skills challenges, coaching clinics, and inspirational talks from female football pioneers, encouraging greater participation and inclusivity in the sport.

Beyond this flagship event, GoCardless is dedicated to removing barriers to play by supporting key initiatives such as the Women’s Beginners Festival and the Kent Women’s Casual League. These programs aim to create more playing opportunities for women to engage with football, fostering a more inclusive football community.

Alongside this partnership, clubs can use GoCardless to easily collect recurring subscriptions via Direct Debit and instant one-off payments through open banking. This will give club secretaries and treasurers greater control and visibility over their funds through an easy-to-use online platform and options for automatic payment collection and reconciliation.

As a result, football clubs will stop losing out on unpaid subs and membership fees while freeing up time for staff and volunteers. With a transparent fee structure that could be up to 54% cheaper than cards, GoCardless also helps to keep costs down, so more of the funds paid go directly to the club. 

"We are delighted to welcome GoCardless as both our Payments Partner and Community Investment Partner for Women and Girls Football," said Darryl Haden, CEO at Kent FA.

"Their support will help us improve the financial health of our clubs, break down barriers, and inspire more women and girls to take up the game. This partnership represents a huge step forward for grassroots football in Kent."

GoCardless, known for its commitment to innovation and community engagement, sees this partnership as a meaningful way to contribute to the growth of women’s football.

"We believe football is for everyone, so we’re thrilled to support Kent FA in widening participation, particularly for girls and women” said Catherine Birkett, Chief Financial Officer at GoCardless. “Whether it’s lending a hand at the upcoming extravaganza or providing our bank payment services behind the scenes to take the pain out of getting paid for teams, coaches and volunteers, we’re here to help clubs focus on what really matters -- building community, inclusion and healthy habits for life through football."

The Women and Girls Football Extravaganza will take place at the training ground of London City Lionesses. It will offer inclusive opportunities for girls of all ages and abilities and champion the movement for greater representation in football.

About GoCardless

GoCardless is a global bank payment company with deep roots in the sport and health & wellness space. The initial idea for the company, founded in 2011, stemmed from a desire to make it easier for grassroots football clubs to collect membership fees. Today GoCardless serves over 7,000 organisations across the grassroots, membership and health & wellness industry and has more than 75 partners in the sector.

Within the football space, GoCardless is a shirt sponsor for Chesham United FC Women, a tier 4 National League club. Last year, it launched a partnership with Total Grassroots and Kelme to offer stress-free payments and new kits to grassroots football clubs.

In 2023 GoCardless also became the official payments partner and headline sponsor for all Swim England national events, covering activities across swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo.