Kessler: EURO to turbo-charge rise of women's football

Nadine Kessler expects UEFA Women's EURO 2022 to offer an estimated half a million new opportunities for girls and women in England to get involved in football – a sign of the lasting legacy that the biggest women's European Championship ever is destined to have on the female game.

"The tournament will provide world-class football, break records, leave a lasting legacy and welcome everyone," said Kessler, UEFA's chief of women's football, as she set the stage for this summer's main sporting event in a keynote address to the 46th UEFA Congress in Vienna.

Kessler highlighted how the 16-team finals will break records and play a critical role in achieving the five-year goals of Time for Action, the UEFA strategy for women's football which was launched in 2019.

The stage

• Most competitive EURO yet, iconic stadiums, high-quality facilities
• A record €16m prize pot, first ever club benefits programme, hugely enhanced TV production delivery
• Major event operating structure, significant resource assigned, video assistant referee (VAR) used for all matches

The vision

• Girls/women in England to have 500,000 more opportunities to get involved in football
• Sustainability and inclusivity as a priority; anti-online abuse campaign
• Impact report: to help assess success and inform future hosts

The visibility

• Broadcast: carried in 195 territories, expected live global audience of 250 million+
• Sponsorship success: sold-out packages, attraction of new partners
• Tickets: records to be broken as almost 400,000 sold already (55%)
• Fans: top-class opening/closing ceremonies, fans parades, school activities