Women’s football thinking big as England prepares to welcome best of Europe

Organisers have set out plans for the Uefa Women’s Euro in 2022 that they hope will be the ‘biggest women’s European sport event ever’

Fans make their way past an England Lionesses sign (Getty Images)

If you're excited about this summer of football, wait until you get to next year.

That's the message from The FA’s Director of Women’s Football ahead of what she hopes will be a record-breaking Uefa Women’s Euro in England in 2022.

On the crest of a wave the women's game in this country is thinking big as it bids to welcome the best the continent has to offer to these shores in 12 months time.

Lofty ambitions for the tournament announced on Wednesday include almost trebling the total number of tickets sold for the last iteration of the event, held in Holland in 2017.

Organisers believe the tournament will be the “biggest women’s European sport event ever”, building on the growing popularity of the Women’s Super League and English clubs, like recent finalists Chelsea, rising the ranks in the Champions League.

Baroness Sue Campbell, who is also on the board for the 2022 event said: “We are all on a journey in women’s football and we still have quite a long way to go.

“The Women’s Super League is going from strength to strength and Emma [Hayes] has done a brilliant job at Chelsea but there is still a lot of work to do in clubs, our talent pathway and making sure every young girl gets a chance to play.

“This tournament really shines a light on the women’s game and gives us an opportunity to raise the profile again - put the shop window out there in front of people and making sure the store is full of all the products that people want.

“That’s our job in legacy terms, to make sure the shelf is stacked so the little girl who is inspired by watching can actually find an opportunity to go and play.”

The delayed tournament will be split across 10 venues in nine English towns and cities, with organisers also aiming to eclipse the highest attendance for a women’s match in Europe - 80,203 fans - set at the London 2012 Olympic final between USA and Japan at the same venue.

Reigning champions Netherlands hosted the last Uefa tournament, attended by 240,045 fans, but with over 700,000 tickets available between £5-50 the FA are set to make the highly-anticipated 2022 event more accessible to a much bigger audience.

Organisers believe the tournament will be the “biggest women’s European sport event ever”.

The FA’s ambitions also extend off the pitch, with a legacy programme on track to deliver 500,000 new opportunities for women and girls, aiming to ensure that 75 per cent of grassroots football clubs offer at least one girls’ team.

The governing body hopes these, alongside other measures including an equal access PE provision in schools, will see 120,000 more girls playing in schools and clubs and 20,000 more women playing for fun and friendship by 2024.