Why The Women’s Euros Are So Important

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Writers’ Club member Beth talks about the beautiful game…

The Women's Euros 2022 kicked off on July 6 at Old Trafford, when England played Austria, winning 1-0. This year's Euros consisted of 16 European teams divided into four groups. Each team in the group then played every other team in the group. Whoever finished first and second advanced through to the knockout rounds. The winning teams keep playing each other until a winner is found. So far England have put in impressive performances under the new management of Sarina Wiegman, including an 8-0 win against Norway. The skilled side has made it through to the semi-finals (tonight!) where they will face Sweden.

Despite many preconceptions, women's football has been around a long time, and was at one point even more popular than the men’s football. In the early 1900’s, many women worked at factories around the country, at which they would set up their own football teams. An early team that gained massive support was Dick, Kerr’s Ladies Football team. Their support grew over the years, helped massively by their star player Lily Parr. A match against a rival team was even watched by more than 53,000 people at Goodison Park! Women's football was really taking off and was getting more and more popular by the day. However this came to an abrupt end in late 1921, when the FA effectively banned women from playing as they deemed it ‘unsuitable’. This decision came largely because men were afraid that men’s football would become overshadowed by the women. The Women’s Football Association was eventually formed in 1969, but it wasn’t until a few years later, inl 1971, that the ban was finally lifted. Even after the overturn of the ban, it was hard for women to play professionally, as a lack of funding and little interest from TV channels and the media meant it was hard for them to gain support. It wasn't until 1989 that some women's games began to be shown regularly. One of the biggest changes came in 1997, when the FA announced its scheme to bring women's football to the elite level. Since then, it’s been steadily growing in support and media attention to match the golden years it once had.

The growing popularity of women's football has been highlighted in this year's Euros. In the first game of the competition, England v Austria, there was a record breaking crowd of 68,781 at Old Trafford, as well as 4.5 million people streaming the game online. England's most recent match against Spain had a peak of 7.5 million people streaming the game! More and more people are becoming invested and it is starting to get the coverage it deserves. As more people watch, attitudes are changing and recognising that it  has just as much potential as men’s matches. The Euros have helped to share the game with so many people who may have never watched it before, and it now has an even bigger international platform for people to get involved in.

The crowds at the Euros matches have not only been record breaking in numbers, but have also provided great atmospheres for everyone involved. The crowds include a lot of families who can all enjoy the match in a safe environment, and there is always a lot of music, singing, and a buzz of excitement going round the stadiums. At the England v Northern Ireland match at Southampton, which I went to see, the crowd was electric, making lots of noise in support during the whole game. There were chants and songs, supported by a trumpet and drums. A Southampton season ticket holder even told me that he had never seen the stadium so loud! The fanbase that has been built seems particularly special as the fans are loyal, considerate, and passionate in supporting their teams. Different generations can all come together in their love for football and enjoy the game.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend getting involved in this year's Euros. The games are easily accessible to watch on the BBC and usually take place in the evenings. The support for the Euros is crucial in growing support for women's football as a whole. Why not follow the Lionesses (and other teams) on most social media platforms! With the growing interest in women's football, more and more people will come to support it at a club level. It is so important to bridge the gap between men’s and women’s football to demonstrate that women are just as capable and worthy of support. It is also crucial to show young girls that they have just as many opportunities as boys do, and that they too can enjoy a professional career. With the growing support, more and more of the players are becoming positive role models to young people and adults alike. Hopefully, in years to come, the difference in support between men’s and women’s football will disappear and women’s football will have the same support, respect and interest. For now we should all look forward to the rest of the Euros and support the teams in any way possible!