Record-breaking Let Girls Play event marks milestone for women's football in England
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
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For International Women's Day, the Football Association (FA) and Barclays held the Let Girls Play Biggest Ever Football Session, in which a record-breaking 285,000 girls from schools across England participated.
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This event marks a significant milestone for the women’s game in England, with a threefold increase in participation compared to last year's inaugural event. The Let Girls Play campaign aims to promote equal access to football for girls, a key objective for the FA.
On the same day, the British Prime Minister announced a new all-sports pledge, guaranteeing every girl in England equal access to football and school sport. The announcement met one of the FA's strategic objectives and highlighted the demand for girls' football in schools and communities.
The Let Girls Play event showcased just how important equal access to sports is for girls. The FA's Inspiring Positive Change strategy aims to have 75% of schools providing equal access to football for girls in PE lessons and 90% of schools offering regular extracurricular football by 2024. With the announcement of the new all-sports pledge, the FA and its partners will continue to work towards achieving these objectives and promoting equal access to football for all.
Sue Campbell, The FA’s Director of Women’s Football, said:
“The record number of girls taking part in our Let Girls Play Biggest Ever Football Session this year is simply remarkable. We have tripled the number of girls taking part compared to last year, which just shows the increased demand for girls to play football. Barclays investment into the Girls' Football School Partnerships has been integral in supporting our ambition to get more girls playing football."
