This article may have been created or edited in return for undisclosed payments, a violation of Wikipedia's terms of use. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. (June 2025)
Powerleague is an operator of small-sided football centres, with 43 sites across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company is headquartered in Fitzrovia, London. It also manages amateur sports leagues across the UK through its league operations arm, formerly known as Powerplay, which now operates under the Powerleague brand. These leagues span over 350 locations and include football and netball competitions.
In 1987, Keith Rogers opened what is considered the world’s first commercial 5-a-side football centre in Paisley, under the brand name Pitz.[1] Rogers expanded the business to 11 centres before it was acquired by private equity firm 3i, which subsequently rebranded the operation as Powerleague.
In 2018, Patron Capital appointed a new executive team, including CEO Christian Rose, CFO Mike Evans, and John Gillespie, who has since become Chief Commercial and Customer Officer. Since then, the company has undertaken infrastructure upgrades across its centres, including pitch resurfacing, clubhouse renovations, and improvements to digital services.[4]
In June 2025, Powerleague was acquired by Broadsword Investment Management. The existing executive team remained in place under the new ownership. Broadsword announced plans to support Powerleague’s expansion strategy, including site development, pitch regeneration, and entry into new sports sectors such as padel.[5]
Padel expansion
In 2024, Powerleague introduced padel courts at its Shoreditch and Birmingham locations. In 2025, the company announced a £14 million investment to establish 17 additional padel clubs across the UK. By 2026, the expansion is expected to result in 76 courts, with an estimated 200,000 annual users.[6]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
