Wales investing in success for the women's game
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
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Wales are on the verge of making women's football history both on and off the field as Rhian Wilkinson's side stand on the cusp of a first-ever qualification for the UEFA Women’s EURO.
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Wales suffered 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup play-off heartbreak, but it was a defining qualifying campaign as they twice broke the record attendance for a home women's international.
A new target of over 15,200 has now been set for the crucial first leg of the Women’s EURO 2025 play-off against Republic of Ireland in Cardiff on 29 November, such is the attachment of this team to a nation that has taken them to their heart.
UEFA Nations League success
Following head coach Gemma Grainger's departure earlier this year, a former Canadian international with Welsh roots in Rhian Wilkinson was tasked with finally delivering qualification.
Winners of the UEFA Women’s Nations League Group B4, Wales went through the first stage of the new qualification process undefeated, registering back-to-back victories over Croatia and Kosovo before defeating Slovakia over two legs in round one of the play-offs.
Jess Fishlock scored the first goal of the decisive second leg and remains a talismanic figure. The 37-year-old is Wales' record appearance holder and goalscorer, and has witnessed first-hand the progression, development and investment that makes the current setup unrecognisable from her senior debut back in 2006.
Fellow centurions Sophie Ingle and captain Angharad James also continue to play key roles in this journey.
Rapid growth of women's football in Wales
One Irishman in Wales' corner for the crucial play-off will be Football Association of Wales (FAW) CEO Noel Mooney. Appointed in July 2021, his tenure began with the launch of the 'Our Wales: For Her' five-point women's football strategy.
"We have set an ambitious target to double the participation and get 20,000 playing by 2026 – in order for us to ensure the game reaches its full potential," said Mooney at the time.
"We are investing more as a percentage of our turnover into our women’s programme than any other nation across Europe."
Now three years down the line, the landscape of women's football is very different, and significantly healthier, at every level. Almost 16,000 female players are now registered in Wales, a 45% increase, while almost 4,000 girls have taken part in the UEFA Playmakers programme since 2021.
The FAW has more female representation at staff and board level, additional investment through stakeholders and commercial partnerships means funding for the women's game has risen 254% since 2021, and on-field success has seen the average attendance rise from 1,800 to over 6,000.
The women's domestic game has also grown exponentially, while further investment into the FAW Academy programme has helped to improve the quality of players coming through the ranks.
"We are thrilled with the rapid growth of the women’s and girls’ game across Wales," said Mooney in October. "The strategy is ambitious, and the progress made so far is monumental. The FAW is committed to building on this success and reaching even greater heights."
These ambitions will be achieved if Wales can beat the Republic of Ireland in their Women’s EURO 2025 play-off, but the success of the FAW's women's football strategy is already clear to see.
UEFA support for women's football
UEFA's new women's football strategy, Unstoppable, will help us take the game to even greater heights, inspiring passion, purpose and play across Europe.
Over the next six years, Unstoppable will help us make women's football:
- The most-played team sport for women and girls in every European country, through developing football pathways for players, coaches and referees alongside grassroots opportunities
- The home of the world’s top players, with six fully professional leagues and 5,000 fully professional players across the continent
- The most sustainable and investable women’s sport, with record-breaking UEFA competitions
- Celebrated for its unique values and community, where everyone believes that they can have a place in women’s football