UEFA Women's EURO 2025 legacy gathers pace in Switzerland
Monday, March 23, 2026
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The Swiss Football Association (SFA) is turning the momentum of UEFA Women's EURO 2025 into record growth and lasting structural change across women's football.
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Supported by €11m in funding, the SFA's Here to Stay strategy is built around a clear objective – to double the number of women involved in Swiss football by the end of 2027, not only as players, but also as coaches, referees and decision-makers at every level of the game.
That ambition gained momentum during Women's EURO 2025, which was marked by record-breaking attendances, unprecedented enthusiasm and unforgettable action across eight Swiss cities. Crucially, that momentum is now being translated into measurable progress.
A record high of 48,000 registered female players was recorded in November 2025, more than a 10% increase on November 2023 when Here to Stay was launched and 60% more than were registered in 2020. Numbers are rising across the game, including new highs of 2,921 female coaches, 167 referees and 439 club and association officials.
“We were able to host a great Women’s EURO, setting a new benchmark for women’s football,” said SFA president Peter Knäbel. “Full stadiums, full of enthusiasm, and a sustainability programme which moves women’s football forward.
“We want to take responsibility – for our society, for future generations and for the sustainable development of the sport.”
Encouraging participation
With initiatives and projects in place to sustain the momentum generated by Women's EURO 2025, participation numbers at all levels of the game are set to keep rising.
More than 1,000 Kickstart Toolbox packages – containing training resources, session plans and practical guidance – have been distributed to clubs and schools to help more girls enjoy football.
From a coaching perspective, two new UEFA C licence courses are being launched exclusively for women, alongside two more all-female courses for goalkeeper coaches.
Meanwhile, a new grassroots outreach initiative will see SFA coaches visit local girls' clubs, providing tailored support and expertise.
Strengthening the elite women's game
In parallel, the structure and standards of the elite women's game in Switzerland are being strengthened.
The Swiss Football League – which oversees the top two tiers of the men's game – will assume responsibility for the licensing process of the Swiss Women's Super League.
Under the new system, clubs will be required to meet defined minimum standards in areas such as governance, infrastructure and financial sustainability, helping to professionalise the Women's Super League.
The SFA has also revised the national pitch allocation priority system, upgrading the status of women's leagues and improving access to facilities for women and girls across Switzerland.
“Infrastructure is one of the most important pillars of the legacy programme because it affects so many other areas,” said Marion Daube, director of women's football at the SFA. “We have developed national best‑practice guidelines, which we now share with clubs through workshops.”
These reforms to infrastructure are being matched by visible cultural progress. The introduction of female stadium announcers at Women’s Super League fixtures and women's national team matches reflects a more inclusive football environment, both on and off the pitch.
Together, these initiatives underline the fact that UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 was not just a milestone tournament, but a catalyst for the long-term transformation of the women’s game in Switzerland.
UEFA Women's EURO 2025 hits important sustainability milestone
As the largest women's football tournament we’ve ever organised, Women’s EURO 2025 had its own event-specific environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy.
We implemented 34 carbon-reduction measures to lessen the tournament’s environmental impact, with 87% of ticket holders using sustainable transport methods, 70% of dressing and signage recycled or upcycled and zero waste going to landfill.
We worked to prevent and combat discrimination, safeguard individual rights and embrace diversity and inclusion. Highlights included 1,217 fans accessing audio-descriptive commentary, which was available at every match, 1,384 accessibility tickets sold to disabled fans from 20 countries, and 53 accessibility volunteers on hand at the eight venues.
Our online abuse monitoring programme also helped protect players, coaches and referees.
The highest standards of transparency, responsibility and accountability were on display, with 46 sustainability criteria for the tournament audited by a third party, and continuous stakeholder engagement helping us to identify and address sustainability risks.
To ensure accountability, all venues had a dedicated sustainability manager, while five commercial partners – the SBB, Lidl, Just Eat Takeaway.com, Visa and Heineken – supported our efforts through targeted initiatives.