Women’s football: FA announces new plans for girls’ football in England

The FA says there will be more investment in women’s and girls’ football and wants to make football more diverse and inclusive so it can better reflect our society.

The FA wants 90% of schools to give girls equal access to football over the next four years and to continue to increase the number of female teams.

The plan also aims to improve playing facilities through the construction of 4,000 new grass pitches and 300 additional 3G pitches.

It also wants to develop the game for professionals, with the aim of the Lionesses winning another major tournament within the next four years.

The Lionesses are the current European champions and finished second at the last World Cup in 2023.

Louise Gear, the FA’s head of football development, said: “The Lionesses’ astonishing success has massively increased the demand for women and girls to play.

“Our ambition is to ensure that every woman and girl who wants to play football has the opportunity to do so – both informally and competitively – in a safe and enjoyable environment,” she added.