History making Lionesses recognised with The Lionesses Futures Fund
Thousands of women and girls across England are set to benefit from The Lionesses Futures Fund - a £30 million cash injection from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.
This investment from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and The FA, recognises the historic achievements of all the players at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, as well as the FIFA Women’s World Cup this year, and will turbocharge opportunities for the next generation of Lionesses.
The Fund will support the development of approximately 30 new state-of-the-art 3G pitches and accompanying facilities across England and will be designed to prioritise women’s and girls’ football teams.
Pupils from local school, The de Ferrers Academy, joined the Lionesses at St George’s Park as they announced the Fund alongside the Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, Kay Cossington from The FA and Robert Sullivan, CEO of the Football Foundation.
Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, said:
“The Lionesses display incredible talent and have achieved highly prized success. Their Euros victory gripped the nation, their success getting through to the World Cup final lifted the national mood.
“During the World Cup I said that we would do everything possible to support women and girls’ football so we can watch our Lionesses roar on the world stage for generations to come. Along with The FA, I am launching a £30 million fund to make sure the next generation of girls have equal opportunities to get into sport.
“Building on our unprecedented support for grassroots facilities, this is just the latest move in our commitment to invest in women and girls’ grassroots sport facilities, and ensure the squad’s legacy lives long into the future.”
Robert Sullivan, CEO of the Football Foundation, said:
“Thanks to the ‘Lionesses Futures Fund’, our ambition to deliver more facilities that prioritise access for women and girls to play football has been accelerated. This new fund is an exciting next step in our determination to support the rapid growth of the women and girls’ game.
“Over 8,500 women’s and girls’ football teams are playing at sites that have received funding from the Football Foundation, whether that be for new goalposts, improved grass pitches or brand-new changing pavilions and 3G pitches. From the roots up, we want to deliver better pitches ensuring healthier lives and stronger communities. Thanks to the funding of the Government, the Premier League and The FA, we will ensure every community has a great place to play.”
FA CEO, Mark Bullingham, said:
“We are delighted to work alongside DCMS to commit this funding to the Football Foundation as it will make a tangible difference to women’s and girls’ football. The biggest obstacle to participation is access to pitches and this investment will provide high quality facilities in communities across the country that need them the most.
“This funding will only be made available to facilities with women’s and girls’ football provision at their core. The local pitch is where it all starts and we hope this will help women and girls from all communities and of all ages to play the sport. For some a game of football will be simply a source of happiness and health, for others it might be a competitive challenge and for a few it will be the start of a journey to the top of the game. Whatever the motivation these facilities are designed to support the players.
“The Lionesses were crucial to this funding and it again showcases the impact they have on our country. Their performances on the pitch have driven societal change and equal opportunities, and this is another tangible example of the legacy they continue to create. We’re proud to work alongside them and are grateful for everything they continue to do.”
England’s FIFA World Cup 2023 Captain, Millie Bright, said:
“We’re proud to have been able to give the nation a lot to cheer in the last 18 months through what we’ve achieved on the pitch but we’ve been clear we want to drive change off the pitch too.
“One of our collective biggest motivations and core values is for females across the country to have equal opportunity. We are really pleased to see the commitment towards this funding and the promise that this will be prioritised for the growth of women’s and girls’ football so whatever the motivation to play, there is a safe and accessible area for females to go to.”
Alongside the Football Foundation’s Here to Play campaign, this is our biggest ever commitment to delivering top-quality facilities for women and girls.
Last summer, the Foundation announced that 23 sites across England will be named after each of the Lionesses who roared their way to success at the UEFA Women’s EUROs 2022 and to the Final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and inspired a nation to get down to their local pitch, some for the first time.