Increasing female participation at your club!

Female football participation is on the rise, with more girls than ever before eager to kickstart or continue their football journey. That’s why there’s never been a better time to start or expand your female provision!

Whether your club is yet to offer female football or is already thriving in the women and girls’ space, signing up to run an England Football programme is a great way to bring females of all ages and abilities to your door.

The Rise In Popularity of Women’s Football

Women’s football has seen a massive rise in popularity in recent years. The 2022 Women’s Euros can take some credit for this.

10 years ago, if you asked a general football fan when the England women’s team were next playing almost no one would be able to give you an answer. Bring on 2022 and everyone, even non-football fans, knew when the Lionesses were due to play.

The 2022 Final between England and Germany was the most viewed Women’s Euro’s Final with 50 million viewers tuning in. The tournament as a whole amassed a massive 365 million viewers globally.

Since then, the women’s game has not stopped increasing in popularity. The 2025 Euro’s has seen huge brands like Lidl and Walkers sponsoring the tournament, bringing huge visibility to the game.

Why Female Inclusion Matters

Women’s participation in grassroots initiatives is essential for several reasons:

• Increased representation: Women’s voices and perspectives are often marginalised in traditional power structures. By including women in grassroots initiatives, we can ensure that their concerns and needs are represented.
• Improved outcomes: Studies have shown that projects led by women tend to have better outcomes than those led by men. This is because women are more likely to prioritise community needs and work collaboratively.
• Empowerment: Female inclusion in grassroots initiatives can empower women to take on leadership roles and develop their skills and confidence.
• Equality: In a space dominated by men, its more important that ever to do your bit to create equal opportunities for women and encourage girls to thrive in the sport.

What You Can Do To Increase Opportunities for Female Participation

More and more clubs are offering opportunities for women and girls to get involved in football. If you have noticed a lack of football opportunities for women in your local area, you’re not alone. Whilst there has been a massive increase in women’s teams it is still no where near the same level that men have available to them.

Here are a few things you can do to increase opportunities for women in local football:

1. Show interest: Local clubs lack funding and creating in a new team is a big investment, they won’t take the leap unless they know they’ll have the numbers, try creating a petition.
2. Organise non-league matches: use social media to bring fellow female football lovers together. Organise friendly matches amongst yourselves to show what you’re all capable of.
3. Approach Clubs: clubs may not be aware of the demand for female teams, if you approach them they will be made aware of the opportunity they’re missing.

Find a Local Team

If you’re interested in taking the leap and joining a team England football have a platform that allows you to find a local team that caters to you. It has club and casual teams, male and female teams and even the ability to find clubs that cater to disabilities. Use the link below to see what’s near you.