To mark World Book Day 2026 on Thursday 5 March, the Premier League gave away more than 120,000 free books to children across England and Wales, through its Premier League Primary Stars programme.
The giveaway, which has been supported by the World Book Day Charity and National Year of Reading initiative, forms part of the League’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust on Premier League Primary Stars literacy activity.
At a time when reading for pleasure levels are at a two-decade low, and 1 in 10 children and young people don’t have a book of their own at home, supporting children and young people to find the joy in reading is more important than ever. Research shows that reading for pleasure can benefit a child’s reading skills, wellbeing, empathy, confidence, and aptitude for learning. Since Premier League Primary Stars began in 2017, more than 460,000 free books have been gifted to young people across England and Wales.
Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of football to help children learn, be active and develop essential life skills and is available to every primary school in England and Wales. More than 75,000 teachers have engaged with the programme to date, giving them access to more than 650 free downloadable resources across Maths, English, PE and PSHE.
Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation is one of 104 professional football club charities across England and Wales to benefit from more than 1,200 free books this World Book Day, giving away to local partner primary schools in Hartlepool as part of their Premier League Primary Stars classroom delivery.
Keith Nobbs, Foundation Manager, said, “World Book Day is a reminder of the power stories have to inspire young people.
“Every child deserves the chance to discover new worlds, broaden their horizons and believe in their own potential. Together they give children the tools to grow, achieve and shape their future and knowledge. Books help make that possible”.
World Book Day is a charity that champions reading for fun because it seriously improves lives. Young people are more likely to read if they see it as a fun, entertaining and social thing to do. That’s what World Book Day is all about: inspiring them to see reading differently.
Premier League Foundation Chief Executive, Alex White, said, “Since 2017 almost half a million children across England and Wales have received a free book thanks to Premier League Primary Stars and the National Literacy Trust. We understand the crucial role that reading for enjoyment has in building confidence and promoting positive mental health in young people. Through the Premier League Primary Stars education programme we are committed to helping children access the many benefits that reading offers.”
Jim Sells, Senior Programme Manager at the National Literacy Trust, said: “World Book Day celebrates reading for pleasure for everyone, which is central to the National Literacy Trust’s mission of giving every child, young person and family the literacy skills they need to succeed in life. Having the opportunity to choose a book of their own can inspire a lifelong love of reading – with benefits for everything from confidence and empathy, to doing well at school. For some of the children we’re working with, this might be the first book they’ve ever owned.
“Our goal is to engage those who need support this World Book Day through inclusive activities, like our free live quiz and wide-scale book donations, inspiring a life-long love of books and reading, and empowering children and young people with the words to shape their own futures. Excitingly, this year is also the National Year of Reading, providing us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to inspire all children and families across the UK to discover the transformative power of reading.”
The Premier League Primary Stars World Book Day activities are just one example of how the Premier League, Premier League Foundation and clubs are supporting the National Year of Reading, which aims to inspire young people to discover the many benefits that reading can bring and help reverse the decline in people reading for pleasure. For more information, please visit Premier League Primary Stars For further information, please contact: hucsf@hartlepoolunited.co.uk
The Foundation loved taking part in #PLPrimaryStars ‘Great Big World Book Day Footy and Booky Quiz 2026’ at Stranton Primary School, in association with the National Literacy Trust!
1 in 10 children do not own a book of their own, meaning they could miss out on the joy and power of reading.
Thank you Premier League Communities, National Literacy Trust and World Book Day (UK & Ireland) for helping us give out more than 1,200 free books for #WorldBookDay in Hartlepool!
For more resources and activities, we encourage schools to sign up to www.PLPrimaryStars.com
