Fof the second year running, England’s Lionesses were front and centre of a magnificent summer of sport, inspiring the nation as they made history Down Under.
The World Cup attracted record attendances in Australia and New Zealand and record TV audiences at home, with a peak of more than 14 million in the UK watching England’s defeat to Spain in the final — underlining the huge popularity and potential of women’s football.
As the Women’s Super League returns this weekend, the domestic game must once again capitalise on the momentum of England’s summer success to continue to grow the sport. Many of coach Sarina Wiegman’s golden generation are fast becoming household names, while top WSL clubs have added some of the stars of the tournament to their ranks. Arsenal have signed Australia’s Kyra Cooney-Cross and Chelsea have landed Canadian Ashley Lawrence.
In the wake of the England’s European Championship triumph on home soil, WSL attendances increased by 170 per cent and while further post-World Cup growth should be expected, it cannot be taken for granted. It remains down to the clubs, the Football Association, broadcasters and other stakeholders to ensure the game continues to get the respect and attention it so clearly merits, and to be creative and forward-thinking to capitalise on interest.
The fallout over Nike’s decision not to sell Mary Earps’ England goalkeeper shirt, as well as concerns around Aston Villa’s new “wet-look” kit illustrate that women can too often remain an afterthought, low on the list of organisations’ priorities while many aspects of the sport remain loss-making.
It is inspiring to see the Lionesses among those constantly pushing for positive change and making their voices heard, including during the remarkable fallout to Spain’s triumph last month.
The big question now is whether anyone can stop Emma Hayes’s Chelsea from a fifth consecutive title. They have added further depth to an imperious squad, including USA youth star Mia Fishel, making it hard to look beyond them.
