Rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson, England cricketer Jacob Bethell and teenage darts sensation Luke Littler are among a host of sporting stars lending their voices to a new government-backed campaign aimed at tackling the growing crisis of male loneliness in the UK.
The ‘Team Up’ campaign launches today with a focus on boys and young men, after research revealed that one in four males aged 11 to 24 say they feel lonely at least some of the time. The initiative is built around a simple message: sport can offer safe, welcoming spaces where young men can build friendships, develop confidence and feel part of something bigger than themselves.
Also supporting the campaign are boxing star Conor Benn, four-time Winter Olympian Dave Ryding and former darts world champion Luke Humphries. The week-long campaign has backing from some of the UK’s most influential sporting bodies, including the Premier League, English Football League, Rugby Football League, England and Wales Cricket Board, Lawn Tennis Association, Parkrun and men’s mental health charity Movember.
Across the country, local sports clubs will host activities designed to encourage participation and connection, with further information available on the newly launched Team Up website. The government has also partnered with fitness app Runna, offering a free Team Up trial that provides personalised training plans for both experienced runners and complete beginners, lowering the barrier to getting involved.
The campaign will spotlight existing initiatives already making a difference. These include Arsenal’s matchday mental health drop-in sessions for fans, run under the Premier League’s Together Against Suicide programme, as well as the Rugby Football League’s PaCE initiative, which supports players’ personal development beyond the pitch. All 72 EFL clubs are also promoting the Scan To Smile initiative, designed to combat loneliness and seasonal low mood during the winter months.
Ministers have warned that without positive physical spaces and community connections, young men are increasingly vulnerable to isolation, declining mental health and harmful online influences. In response, the government is investing £400 million in grassroots sports facilities to widen access, alongside £500 million to improve youth centres and services as part of a new National Youth Strategy.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who convened a roundtable of clubs and sporting bodies last summer, said sport has a unique power to reach young men who may otherwise struggle in silence. She said loneliness among young men has serious consequences for mental health and communities, and that collective action through sport can help challenge stigma and show that support is available.
Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock echoed the message, describing every local match, training session or shared game as an opportunity for young men to feel included, build friendships and grow in confidence.
Former England rugby international Jonny Wilkinson said feeling lonely or overwhelmed is far more common than many people realise. He explained that sport and physical activity can provide connection, shared experience and a sense of belonging that has the power to change lives.
England cricketer Jacob Bethell said cricket gave him a place to belong and taught him that being part of a team means your voice matters. He encouraged young people to visit their local clubs and find their own sense of community.
Darts world champion Luke Humphries added that whether someone is playing, watching or supporting, being part of a sporting community can have a powerful positive impact on wellbeing.
For readers of Chijos News, particularly young men from migrant and diaspora backgrounds, the Team Up campaign reflects a growing recognition that mental health support does not always begin in clinical settings. Often, it starts on a pitch, in a gym, at a local park or inside a community club, where shared experience can replace isolation with belonging.
The government is urging sports organisations and communities to unite later this month as the campaign gathers momentum, with the aim of promoting social connection, reducing stigma around men’s mental health and ensuring no young man feels left on the sidelines.