sportskeeda
GIRLS are vibrant and making us proud!
Let’s set aside the nostalgia of 1990s ‘Girl Power’; the times are undoubtedly evolving.
3
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
3
Credit: Getty
Just last weekend, the Red Roses shined as the England women’s rugby team captured the World Cup before a record crowd of 82,000 at Twickenham.
This triumph follows the Lionesses’ consecutive European Championship victories, proving that women’s sports are here to stay.
Reflecting on the past two to three decades, conversations about women in football often felt discouraged, as history illustrates.
In 1921, over 150 women’s football clubs were thriving, attracting audiences of over 40,000.
What action did the FA take? They imposed a ban, labeling it “unsuitable for females.”
It wasn’t until almost fifty years later that the FA reversed its stance, leading to gradual growth for women’s football in the 70s and 80s.
Furthermore, the national team did not see its first full-time coach, Hope Powell, until 1998.
Women’s football received a significant uplift during the 2012 London Olympics, where Team GB attracted over 70,000 spectators against Brazil, finally freeing women’s football from its constraints.
SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN
Just last year, an FA report revealed a 56 percent surge in the participation of women and girls in football over the past four years.
The number of registered female football clubs has more than doubled in the last seven years, and the turnout at WSL matches speaks volumes.
Only seven seasons ago, the highest attendance for any game was 2,648 for Chelsea versus Manchester City. Last season, it skyrocketed to nearly 57,000 for the North London derby.
A new sponsorship deal with Barclays is valued at £15 million annually, and WSL clubs saw a revenue boost of 34 percent in the 2023-24 season alone. From grassroots to the elite, women’s football is clearly on the rise.
Fortunately, similar advancements can be observed across other sports, not just rugby, which has experienced an impressive 60 percent increase in registered players since 2017.
In cricket, while our girls faced fierce competition from the Aussies, the World Cup approaches with England aiming for its fifth title.
3
Credit: AP
In various fields, women are excelling. From netball’s Jade Clarke to tennis star Emma Raducanu, and athlete Keely Hodgkinson to world champion boxer Lauren Price… the roster is extensive and highlights women’s achievements.
However, I was surprised to discover that middle-distance runner Georgia Hunter Bell held a full-time job in tech sales just months before winning a bronze medal at last year’s Paris Olympics.
It’s hard to imagine a male elite athlete doing something similar.
Georgia recently earned silver at the World Championships, and hopefully, her dedication as a full-time athlete will lead her to even greater heights next time.
I acknowledge the ongoing underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in football and other sports, but I remain optimistic about the shift that is underway.
Both the FA and PL are led by women—Debbie Hewitt and Alison Brittain—who are doing commendable work.
For now, my attention is on the remarkable progress achieved in a relatively brief period.
The WSL is flourishing and set for growth, showcasing that our nation leads in both men’s and women’s sports.
We should celebrate this because ‘girls just wanna have fun.’
