Football has united to sign a declaration promising to put the mental health of players and fans first, as a legacy of the Heads Up campaign.

Mentally Healthy Football declaration

Ahead of the Heads Up FA Cup Final on the 1st of August, and as a legacy of the Heads Up campaign, the football family has come together to sign the ‘Mentally Healthy Football’ declaration, committing to building a mentally healthy culture at all levels of the game, now and for future generations.

Signatories representing clubs, leagues, and organisations across the whole of the UK football family have signed the Mentally Healthy Football declaration which will see football recognising that mental health is just as important as physical health. Football is a team game, and for the first time there is a collective ‘game plan’ to ensure the mental health of players, staff, managers, coaches, and officials is prioritised across the sport.

The declaration is a commitment from the game to continue to raise awareness on mental health, and to embed an environment in the UK where players, staff, managers and officials are able to spot signs that someone they know might be struggling and are encouraged to look after their mental health just as they do their physical health.

The UK football family will build on the important work that clubs and football organisations are already doing, working together to scale up these efforts across the football system and support the development of ‘mentally healthy clubs’ at every level of the game.

Alongside announcing the Mentally Healthy Football declaration, and its vision for a mentally healthy future at all levels of the game across the UK, The Prince of Wales joined a Zoom call with David Beckham, Tyrone Mings, Carlo Ancelotti, Steph Houghton, and Andros Townsend to discuss this landmark moment and why it’s so important to put mental health at the forefront of the game.

"Not only will the declaration benefit future generations who work and play within the game, but it will also send a clear message to football’s millions of fans about the importance of mental health. That is a legacy we can all be proud of – following a season we will never forget."

The Prince of Wales

Make your own pledge

You can join the football family in making your commitment to putting mental health at the forefront of the game, for current and future generations. Use the link below to pick between four different pledge boards and take a picture with it to join the sport’s community in prioritising mental wellbeing, from the grassroots to the professional game.

Download your pledge board here

Get Support

If you need immediate support, you can text 'HeadsUp' to 85258 anytime of day or night and chat by text to share what is worrying you. It's a free service, available 24/7 and will connect you with a trained crisis volunteer. If you need support with your mental health but don’t know where to turn, our Heads Together Charity Partners are there for you. We work closely with a number of mental health charities who can offer support to people in times of need.

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