WIREDGOV

Women's and girls' football has enjoyed significant growth since England hosted the 2022 showpiece.

Our funding has ensured Euro 2022 has had a long-term impact on women's and girls' grassroots football, a new report has found.

The FA have released the results of their UEFA Women's Euro 2022 legacy programme, highlighting the tournament’s successful impact on the women’s game across England.

The programme, which we supported with National Lottery funding, aimed to deliver lasting change in the nine places that hosted the tournament – Brentford, Brighton & Hove, Manchester & Trafford, Milton Keynes, Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Wembley and Wigan & Leigh – with the FA committing to monitor progress for two years after the event.

We invested more than £2 million to support two projects: the development of place-based plans in the host cities and the staging of the Women’s Euro 2022 Roadshow, which took place in May and July 2022, just before the tournament kicked off.

And that funding has contributed to some hugely positive outcomes for the women’s and girls’ game at a community level, which was of course boosted by the Lionesses’ epic victory over Germany in the final:

• 519,000 new opportunities provided to engage women and girls in football
• 129,000 more girls playing football in schools
• 34,000 more women and girls playing football recreationally
• 10,300 more women and girls playing football in grassroots clubs
• 1,222 women and girls have taken the FA Playmaker coaching qualification
• 298 more FA-qualified female coaches in the female game
• 247 more FA-qualified female referees in the female game.

Click here for the full press release