Rise Of Women Football In The United Kingdom

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Rise Of Women Football In The United Kingdom

March 11, 2019, by Asher K

The Rise Of Women's Football In The United Kingdom

Football is indeed a male-dominated sport, but women football is currently undergoing a dramatic metamorphosis, especially over the last few years. Having been discredited in the past, the game is slowly but steadily starting to develop, paving the way for more progress.

History

Surprisingly, in the early 1900’s, women football was an immensely popular sport. There were hundreds of clubs across the United Kingdom, and the games would often draw large crowds. Despite this, the FA prohibited women from playing football on affiliated pitches in 1921, and it was dubbed to be too unsuitable for them and was not to be encouraged. It was only several years later, in 1971, that they were debarred from playing again.

The lifting of the ban meant that women could once again treat football as a professional career. Different broadcasting networks began to cover these matches, and after several years, and tonnes of effort, the game developed into what it is today.

The FA

Despite a rocky past, recent surveys show a steady growth in the number of females that participate in football, both in the amateur and professional spheres According to the FA, as of today, a plethora of girls and women play the sport in England alone, and millions of pounds are being spent to make sure that things remain this way. With their new game plan for Growth Campaign, they propose to double the number of female football players by 2020, hopefully increasing the total number of affiliated teams to around 12,000.

The FA Women’s Super League, for example, began in 2011 and had since raised standards for women football. There are some incredibly talented players involved in the league, such as Ellen White of Birmingham City Ladies, and Chelsea Women’s Francesca Kirby.

The Numbers

It was also reported that the number of people attending women football matches has increased over the years. In 2014, the game between England and Germany’s female teams attracted a larger audience than their male counterparts’ Wembley friendly. Viewers are now starting to show the same enthusiasm they displayed in the 1920s. There has been an increase in signings, media coverage, and social media statics as well.

There are currently efforts being made to establish women football as a separate entity of its own, and not just an inferior version of men’s football. It took us a long time to get here, but the future looks bright.

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