Andy Devaney
Joe Gomez and Faye Kirby have been named PFA Community Champions for 2026, recognised for the kind of work football does best when it remembers there is life beyond the white lines, the TV cameras and the weekly circus of hot takes.
Liverpool Pair Honoured For Work In The Community
The Liverpool defender and Liverpool FC Women goalkeeper have both been recognised for their ongoing support of the LFC Foundation, the club’s official charity, during the 2025-26 season.
Their involvement has taken them into community programmes, schools, pathway sessions and grassroots football spaces where a player’s presence can carry the sort of weight no motivational poster ever managed. A surprise visit from Joe Gomez beats a laminated quote on resilience by several clear yards.
The PFA Community Champion award exists to highlight players who support community work and good causes connected to their role as footballers. In this case, the recognition feels less like a ceremonial handshake and more like a useful reminder: elite footballers are often at their most influential when they step away from the elite bubble.
Gomez Makes His Mark At Kirkby High School
Gomez received his award from Emmanuel, a Kirby High School student who has continued to progress at school with support from the Onside programme delivered by the LFC Foundation.
Emmanuel was invited to the AXA Training Centre to present the award, and also had the chance to meet other members of the squad. Not a bad morning’s work, really. Most school reward trips involve a bus, a packed lunch and someone losing a coat.
Gomez’s visit to Kirkby High School earlier this year was one of the standout moments of his community work. He surprised a class of secondary school students during a regular Onside session as part of the Premier League’s More Than A Game campaign, with the visit also featuring on BBC’s Match of the Day.
During the visit, Gomez spent time in the classroom, joined in with activities and learned more about the programme’s impact on the students. It was the sort of low-ego, high-value appearance that tends to land properly because it is built around listening, not lecturing.
On receiving the award, Joe said: “I’m super proud, obviously what we do on the pitch is massive but this club is so much more than a football club. To be able to play a small part in having a positive impact means a lot and I don’t take it for granted and we know it’s our responsibility.
“The work of the LFC Foundation is huge and it can’t be overstated how much they do and how much of an impact they have in the community and we are lucky to have them.”
Faye Kirby Recognised For Inspiring Young Players
Faye Kirby’s award was presented by Ava, whose own journey neatly explains why these programmes matter.
Ava progressed from the LFC Foundation’s Emerging Talent Centre programme into the U14 Academy squad and has recently been offered a place within the Pro Game Academy U16s for a further two seasons. As recognition for that progress, she was invited to AXA Melwood to meet Kirby and present the award.
That is not just a nice story. It is the pathway made visible. One young player seeing where the steps can lead, while handing an award to someone already walking the road ahead.
Kirby has played a key role in highlighting the LFC Foundation’s work this season, particularly around participation for girls and women in sport. Her support has included involvement with the Pathway to Works programme and the Premier League Kicks girls’ sessions at Anfield Sports and Community Centre.
More Than A Photo Opportunity
At ASCC, Kirby and Liverpool FC Women teammate Gemma Evans met a record number of young girls, took part in an inspiring Q&A and discussed the challenges they faced growing up in football.
That matters because women’s football is not built by attendance figures and glossy campaigns alone. It is also built in rooms like that, with young players asking direct questions and seeing, in front of them, the evidence that the game has space for them.
The PFA Community Champions recognition for Gomez and Kirby therefore lands in the right place. It rewards not simply attendance, but presence. The distinction is important. Anyone can turn up. Not everyone connects.
Matt Parish, CEO of the LFC Foundation, said: “We are always grateful of the support of the players from both the men’s and women’s teams and this year we have seen even more of them out in the community which has been fantastic.
“Joe and Faye have both been brilliant for us in helping to support our work and raise awareness of what we do and we look forward to continuing
Why The Recognition Matters
The LFC Foundation’s work stretches across education, inclusion, opportunity and participation, and the involvement of first-team players can amplify that work in ways that feel immediate and personal.
For Gomez, the connection came through the Onside programme and a classroom at Kirkby High School. For Kirby, it came through girls’ football sessions, talent pathways and conversations with young players looking for proof that their ambitions are not fanciful.
That is the quiet strength of awards like the PFA Community Champions. They cut through the usual noise around football and point towards something sturdier: responsibility, visibility and the human impact of a club using its platform properly.
Football will always be judged by goals, clean sheets, points and trophies. Fair enough. It is a competitive business, not a village fête. But every now and again, the game reminds you that its longest-lasting wins are not always found on a scoreboard.