Football stars, bestselling writers and the government have joined forces to spark a nationwide love of reading, as the National Year of Reading officially gets underway.

Led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust, the year-long initiative aims to reverse a sharp decline in reading for pleasure — particularly among children and young people. New figures show that enjoyment of reading is at its lowest point since 2005, with only one in three 8- to 18-year-olds saying they read for pleasure in their free time. Teenage boys are the most affected, with just 25% saying they enjoy reading, compared with 39% of girls.

At the heart of the campaign is a simple message: “Go All In”. Families, schools, libraries, businesses and community groups are being encouraged to make reading part of everyday life again — not as a chore, but as something enjoyable, personal and relevant. Whether it’s football blogs, song lyrics, cookbooks, graphic novels or classic fiction, the campaign stresses that all reading counts.

The launch was marked today (13 January 2026) at Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal FC, where Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighted how interests such as football can open the door to reading — and even future careers in areas like sports journalism, media production and punditry.

A high-profile group of ambassadors will help drive the message throughout the year. They include England and Women’s Super League captain Leah Williamson, authors Cressida Cowell, Michael Morpurgo and Julia Donaldson, poet and broadcaster George the Poet, and popular figures such as Richard Osman, Joe Wicks and social media book influencer Jack Edwards.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:   “Some of my happiest childhood memories are of reading with my grandad, getting lost in The Chronicles of Narnia together.  I want every child to feel that same joy, whether their passion is football, fantasy, or physics.

Reading unlocks so much of children’s education, which is why reversing the decline in reading for pleasure must become a national mission.  

Through the National Year of Reading and our Plan for Change we are making sure every child and young person has access to a wide range of books, alongside supporting families to make space for shared reading to give children the best start in life.  

I’m asking families across the country to read together for just 10 minutes a day. It’s a simple step that can lay the foundations for strong literacy skills, helping kids to be school ready and on track to achieve and thrive”.

Jonathan Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said:  “The National Year of Reading provides us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate the UK’s relationship with reading and change people’s life stories. With incredible ambassadors, events and partnerships at the fore, the National Year of Reading aims to inspire every child, young person and adult to go all in on their passions, feed their curiosities and connect with others through reading, throughout 2026 and beyond. Working with communities and cultural partners, libraries, businesses and schools up and down the country there will be hundreds of ways to get involved with the National Year of Reading.  

Whether it’s a baby experiencing the magic of a picture book for the first time, a family listening to an audiobook on the school run, a teenager immersed in fan fiction or an adult reading the football pages on their commute, reading is for everyone”.

Clare Sumner, Premier League Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer said:   “The Premier League and National Literacy Trust have worked in partnership for nearly 25 years on Premier League Reading Stars, an education initiative that uses children’s passion for football to get them reading.  

We are pleased to build on that long-term activity by supporting the Department for Education’s National Year of Reading, using the reach of the League and our clubs to encourage families to use books as a way to connect, learn and have fun together”.

Women’s Super League star Leah Williamson said:   “The Go All In campaign is a massive moment for literacy in this country. Football is all about moments too. It’s all about chances. Waiting for them to arise and taking them when they do. The National Year of Reading 2026 is YOUR chance to really Go All In on your passions by reading into them. So, seize the moment and take that chance. Pick up a book, listen to an audiobook, get stuck into articles on whatever you love. It all counts. 

Because if you’re into it, read into it”.

Children’s author Nadia Shireen said:   “From reading interviews with my favourite pop stars in magazines, to reciting lyrics on record sleeves, devouring comics and scaring myself silly with ghost stories, reading has been a constant joy in my life. 

I’m so excited to be part of the National Year of Reading 2026. It’s all about digging into your passions, and gifting time for yourself to read what you love. It’s going to be so much fun!”

Author, producer and television presenter Richard Osman said:    “I am proud to support the National Year of Reading 2026.  

New thoughts, new worlds, new friends, peace, imagination, and, above all, joy. These are just some of the gifts that books give us. In an increasingly noisy, complicated world, reading is our quiet superpower”.

Reading for pleasure is closely linked to stronger writing skills, better mental wellbeing, increased confidence and creativity. Yet too many children are still being left behind. More than a quarter of pupils leave primary school without the reading skills expected of an 11-year-old. That figure rises to 40% for children from white working-class backgrounds and nearly 60% for children with special educational needs.

The National Year of Reading builds on wider government plans to raise literacy standards as part of its long-term “Plan for Change”. Measures already announced include a new mandatory reading test in Year 8 to identify struggling readers earlier, significant investment in reading and writing teaching, and funding to widen access to books in schools.

The campaign also follows confirmation that the government will develop the UK’s first-ever early years screen time guidance. The aim is to help parents strike a healthy balance between digital use and activities such as shared reading and conversation, which play a crucial role in children’s language development.

Throughout the year, a packed programme of national and local events will bring reading into communities across the country. Planned activities include National Storytelling Week, creative writing competitions, parent-and-baby reading sessions, and live “in conversation” events with well-known authors such as Celia Rees.

Volunteers will play a central role, with a national drive to recruit 100,000 people to support literacy projects — from organising local book events to helping adults learn to read for the first time.

To support the effort, free materials and training will be rolled out for schools, early years settings, libraries, booksellers and even the criminal justice sector. Parents and teachers will also have access to practical resources designed to help children discover the joy of reading and give every young person the strongest possible start in life.

As the message of the year makes clear, the goal is not perfection — it’s participation. The National Year of Reading is calling on the entire country to Go All In, one page at a time.