Why Your Daughter Deserves the Same Football Dreams as Your Son

The Lionesses brought it home again in the Euros, with a dramatic win on penalties and sending the nation into celebrations. In recent years, The Lionesses have captured the nations hearts and headlines, proving not only their talent but also their power to change the game (literally and culturally!). While we celebrate the glory, we also need to talk about what’s subtly hidden beneath the positive optics: like the structures, opportunities and funding that shapes the future of women’s sport.

Though, we may all hate them, the adverts this year have predominantly shown “proudly partnered with Women’s EUFA 2025.” The consistent media and advertisement presence, the references to the game and our women sports players has really permitted a rise in knowledge. Not only this, but UEFA Women’s EURO ALSO 2025 has officially become the most commercially backed women’s tournament in history, generating over €32 million in sponsorship which is more than double the revenue from 2022.

These numbers mean more than just the women receiving the recognition and appreciation they deserve it has filtered down to the grassroots girls’ football clubs with a major uptick in interest. According to the FA, participation in girls’ football grew by over 12% in the year following England’s Euro win, with more than 100,000 new female players registering across the UK!

We are not just celebrating the Lionesses, we are celebrating that when women are given the platforms and support, they thrive. And our young, upcoming athletes seeing players such as Lauren Hemp, Mary Earps, and Alessia Russo (our goal scorer this year!) dominating the world stage, it allows them to dream bigger. Sport should not be limited to just a sport for our young women, but a viable path to identity, joy and a career. Despite all the positives, women still face barriers in sports. While top-tier women’s football grows fast, it is still vastly underfunded in comparison to the men’s game. Women in lower divisions juggle part time jobs, have inadequate training facilities, and very limited media coverage. There are still notable issues such as PE kit inequalities, limited pitch time, and a lack of female coaches or role models remain common.

Why does all this matter? 

Sport is more than just sports: it’s community. Studies consistently have shown that girls who participate in sport are more likely to have higher self-esteem, better physical and mental health, and an improved academic performance. Failing to invest in girls’ access to sport not only limits athletic potential but restricts their future opportunities in life.

The good news? Change is happening. The FA’s Game-plan for Growth strategy aimed to double participation and fan base for women's football, and we're seeing the impact. More schools are signing up to Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships, which work to ensure that girls have equal opportunities to play. Sponsorship deals are increasing, visibility is growing, and campaigns like This Girl Can have helped shift public perception around women in sport.

The Lionesses have shown us what is possible, inspiring a generation of new athletes, all while challenging outdated ideas. Now it’s up to us to ensure that the media coverage of women’s football is the same as men’s, and that the legacy lives on, not just through trophies but through the experiences of young girls across the world.