Faith in Culture and Sport: A Missing Piece in Britain’s Social Cohesion Strategy

The government’s ambition to use culture and sport to strengthen social cohesion is a welcome and necessary step. Britain faces deepening social divides, and the evidence is clear: faith communities are already central to the cultural and sporting life of the country, and their contribution must be recognised within No. 10’s new plans.

A divided society in need of shared spaces

Recent polling by IPSOS shows that 85% of Britons believe society is divided, while over half say political differences have become so entrenched that they are harmful to the country. Research by the National Centre for Social Research echoes this trend, revealing widening gaps in trust and belonging across political identities. Against this backdrop, the government’s new social cohesion strategy, Protecting What Matters, rightly identifies culture and sport as powerful tools for bringing people together.

The strategy’s commitment to a “decade‑long pipeline” of major cultural and sporting events, from UK City of Culture and a new Town of Culture competition to UEFA EURO 2028, the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départs and a bid for the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, offers a national platform for shared pride and collective experience. Coupled with £750m in youth, sport and community infrastructure, these investments can create the shared spaces Britain urgently needs.

Culture and sport already unite us, and faith plays a role

Britain has seen how culture can cut through division. The recent Oasis reunion brought together fans across generations and backgrounds, while Team GB’s performances at the Winter Olympics generated a rare moment of national unity. These moments matter: they remind us that shared cultural experiences can soften divides and rebuild trust.

Faith communities are already embedded in this landscape. Their role is not peripheral but foundational.

Liverpool offers a striking example. After Mo Salah joined Liverpool FC, researchers found that anti‑Muslim tweets from the club’s supporters halved. A single player, embraced by fans of all backgrounds, shifted attitudes and strengthened community relations.

In Birmingham, Soul City Arts demonstrates how culture, faith and sport can work together. Their Ramadan Streets night market, hosted inside Birmingham City FC’s stadium, brought thousands of people of all faiths and none together to experience Ramadan through art, food and storytelling. It is a model of how cultural programming rooted in faith can build bridges across communities.

The Loved and Wanted Fund, launched by the Mayor of London, further recognises the essential role of faith‑based and interfaith organisations in strengthening cohesion. These groups are trusted, embedded and effective, and they are already doing the work government wants to scale.

A cohesive Britain needs its faith communities at the table

The government’s renewed focus on culture and sport is timely, but it will fall short unless faith communities are fully included. They bring deep networks, cultural fluency and a track record of convening people across divides. They are often the first to respond to moments of tension and the most effective at sustaining long‑term relationships.

At a time of heightened polarisation, Britain cannot afford to overlook assets that already work. Faith communities are part of the nation’s cultural fabric and central to its cultural story. Their involvement will make the government’s social cohesion plans more credible, more inclusive and more impactful.

A confident, cohesive Britain will be built not by any one sector alone, but by the combined efforts of culture, sport and faith, all working together to create a country where everyone feels they belong.

Dr Mary Hunter is the Senior Researcher at Equi.

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