When the final whistle blew at Wembley on July 31, 2022, there came one of the loudest cheers I have ever heard at a football ground. After that came a legacy that is still evident in the women’s game today, as we count down to Euro 2025.
England’s women created history three years ago by winning the European Championship, their first ever major trophy, beating rivals Germany 2-1 after extra time. It was a monumental day, not just for the Lionesses but because of the ripple effect throughout the game that the euphoria of that special day caused.
Chloe Kelly’s winning goal sent more than 87,000 fans – me included – into a frenzy. Supporters lost their minds in disbelief that the wait for silverware was finally over. There were smiles and tears of joy on faces young and old, girls and boys alike, sharing in England’s incredible moment. It was truly one of the most jubilant occasions I have ever been fortunate enough to enjoy as a football fan. The players all became heroes and Kelly’s celebration is now iconic.
The magnitude of Sarina Wiegman’s achievement with that group of players quickly became clear. More girls wanted to take up football, and there was concrete evidence of the growth in interest as Women’s Super League attendances at that point reached an all-time high. The hope is that a similar effect could be on the horizon and that
a steady rise in attendances carries on as women’s football continues to gain popularity.
That’s so important, because that growth leads to more investment on and off the pitch, which in turn helps to increase the quality and standard in all areas, which in turn can further increase attendances as the product improves overall.
It’s been hugely positive to see more women’s games being played at the men’s team’s stadiums, with Arsenal deserving special mention for their commitment to host women’s games at the Emirates. There have been incredible turnouts for Champions League matches and nearly 60,000 fans attended the North London Derby in February.
One hindrance is competition: in a busy season, it is tricky to schedule women’s fixtures at different times to men’s games while finding reasonable broadcasting slots. One huge positive of a summer tournament is that mainstream visibility isn’t an issue. This July – apart from the Club World Cup running into five days of the women’s Euros group stage – is a clear window for all eyes to be on the best women’s teams on the continent.
And that’s not just European eyes, either. Even though the USA aren’t involved in this tournament, I will be hosting shows for American rights-holders FOX Sports, who will be doing full match coverage throughout with a stellar line-up of guests. Plenty of European players ply their trade in the National Women’s Soccer League, creating a great deal of interest Stateside.
Closer to home, having the live matches free-to-air on both BBC and ITV in England can be a key catalyst for an upward trend in attendances after the tournament, as well as general interest and excitement for the game. Couple that with England defending their crown and it could be another significant summer.
As reigning champions, the Lionesses know that every team will want to take them down, and being drawn into the Group of Death has made Wiegman’s task tougher still. England start their campaign against two other favourites to go on and win it – France and the Netherlands – before meeting debutants Wales, who have nothing to lose.
If England hit the ground running, however, the excitement will go through the roof. There aren’t many better things than a summer backing your country in a major tournament, after all.
I hope that we will see England lifting silverware in Switzerland at the end of July, and that in the process, they get even more new fans sucked into the emotion, the fun, the endless rollercoaster of drama, disappointment and joy that football brings.
It’s going to be another exciting summer on the pitch. But there’s real hope, too, that an even more significant year lies ahead, as we watch the women’s game continue to flourish.
