Table 4.

Determinants influencing implementation across ecological levels.

Ecological level	Determinant	Description
Participant	Social connection, psychological safety and belonging	The extent to which participants experience the FC initiative as a welcoming and supportive environment, including feeling comfortable, accepted, and able to participate without fear of judgement.
	Accessibility, practical fit and life pressures	Practical factors shaping attendance and retention, including timing, location, cost, competing commitments, and how easily games fit into weekly routines.
	Ability fit, challenge and health management	How well the physical demands and mixed-ability context align with participant capability and confidence, including perceptions of safety, challenge, fitness level, and ability to manage injury or health concerns.
	Motivation, confidence and habit formation	Psychological and behavioural factors influencing continued engagement, including confidence to attend, motivation to participate, and development of regular attendance habits over time.
	Enjoyment and playfulness	The degree to which games are experienced as enjoyable and engaging, supporting ongoing participation through fun, informal play, and positive game experiences.
Provider	Communication, coordination and logical systems	The systems and processes that support weekly delivery, including communication with participants, coordination of attendance, and consistent administration (for example sign-up, payments, and team organisation). While participants reported satisfaction with existing communication tools, current systems (e.g., WhatsApp messaging and informal payment transfers) present limitations for organisational coordination, financial security, and GDPR compliance if the initiative expands to multiple sites.
	Cultural cohesion, inclusion and fairness	How providers sustain an inclusive mixed-ability environment, including managing behaviours and expectations to protect fairness, respect, and a positive participation climate.
	On-pitch facilitation and adaptive delivery	Provider capability to manage delivery in real time, including balancing teams, adapting formats to the group, maintaining flow, and responding to varied ability levels and participation needs.
	Volunteer motivation, identity and wellbeing	Factors influencing continued provider involvement, including motivation to support the FC initiative, role identity, workload pressures, and supports needed to sustain volunteer contribution over time.
	Partnerships and organisational support	The extent to which providers have support from organisations and partners (for example facility access, equipment, coordination support), and clear backing that enables reliable weekly delivery.
Organisational	Strategic leadership, culture and vision	Organisational leadership and clarity of purpose for the FC initiative, including alignment on what it is, what it aims to achieve, and how growth and delivery should be guided.
	Organisational systems and communication	Internal systems that support game delivery and scale-up, including communication structures, coordination processes, and mechanisms that enable consistency across sites.
	Organisational capacity (internal delivery capability)	The internal staffing, time allocation, and operational capacity within the FC initiative required to coordinate delivery and reduce over-reliance on individual volunteers and the organisational lead as the initiative expands.
	Learning transfer and knowledge transfer	The ability to capture and share learning across sites, including resources, guidance, and support processes that enable consistent delivery as the FC initiative grows.
	Partnerships and external engagement	Organisational relationships that support delivery and scale-up, including engagement with facilities, community partners, and stakeholders who can provide practical support and legitimacy.
	Funding, resource and management	The availability and management of funding and resources required for the FC initiative delivery and scale-up, including planning for staffing, systems, and ongoing operational needs.
Community/System	Accountability and governance structures	Leadership, transparency, and shared responsibility across governing and community layers, including distributed leadership ethical stewardship, and clarity of roles at organisational and system level.
	Cultural and societal context	Broader cultural values and social expectations shaping engagement, including football's symbolic role, community identity, and cultural resonance that sustains participation and support.
	Education and workforce development	Training, professionalisation, and skill-building for those facilitating recreational football, including development of non-traditional roles beyond coaching.
	Equity, diversity, and inclusion	Commitment to fairness, representativeness, and accessibility across programmes and governance, linked to legitimacy and alignment with equality goals.
	Evaluation, research, and evidence integration	Data generation and use of evidence to inform design, justify funding, and demonstrate impact, including partnerships that support evidence-led dialogue and learning.
	Funding and resource environment	Stability, allocation, and accessibility of financial resources across community and national levels, including co-funding and multi-source arrangements.
	Infrastructure and facilities access	Availability of spaces, materials, and logistics needed to deliver the FC initiative, including pitch access, scheduling, and equipment frameworks that enable participation.
	Institutional support and policy infrastructure	The readiness of national governing bodies, public agencies, and sector institutions to recognise, support, and integrate recreational football within formal governance and policy structures.
	Partnerships and networks	Collaboration across sport, health, education, and private sectors, including formal alliances and informal grassroots relationships that support delivery and scale.