England’s Football Association Achieves Milestone in Girls’ Football Access

In the wake of their Euro 2022 championship victory, England’s football players addressed an open letter to the candidates vying for leadership within the Conservative Party. Their message emphasized the importance of ensuring that “every young girl” has the opportunity to play football in school.

Remarkably, the target of having 90% of schools in England provide girls with equal access to football in physical education (PE) lessons has been accomplished three years ahead of the initial deadline.

Originally set for 2028, this objective is part of the Football Association’s (FA) broader strategy to promote equal opportunities for women and girls in football. The Barclays Girls’ Football in Schools initiative, which commenced six years ago with just 3,000 participant schools, has now expanded to include a staggering 20,202 schools.

According to the FA, approximately 2.6 million girls currently benefit from equal access to football in PE classes, marking a 31% increase since the 2020-21 academic year.

The FA attributed the Lionesses’ impressive performance during Euro 2022 as a significant catalyst that influenced government discussions and propelled policy changes in favor of girls’ football.

The successful team, under the leadership of Sarina Wiegman, reached out with an open letter to then-Conservative leadership contenders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, advocating for equal opportunities for all young girls in football education.

Presently, 90% of schools are reported to offer girls equal access to football during PE lessons at Key Stages 2 (ages 7-11) and 3 (ages 11-14).

Ian Wright, a former England and Arsenal striker and current ambassador for Barclays Football, emphasized, “This was never about girls becoming the next Lionesses; it was about normalizing girls playing football, just as boys do. It’s about equality.”

Following their Euro 2022 triumph at Wembley, England reached the Women’s World Cup final the subsequent year, where they faced a defeat to Spain. However, they later claimed victory over Spain to secure their European title once more in July.

Stacey Mullock, head of development at the FA, stated, “No girl should ever face barriers to playing football in school. This belief motivated us to set ambitious targets and advocate for a cultural shift that provides girls with the same access and opportunities as boys.”

Nevertheless, the FA acknowledged that there remains “more work to be done” for Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16), as many teenage girls discontinue participation in team sports due to challenges related to confidence, body image, and negative perceptions.

The governing body also aims to elevate the proportion of schools offering equal opportunities through extracurricular clubs from 83% to 90% by 2028.