England legend Ellen White hails growth of female football

England legend Ellen White believes women and girls’ football is on the verge of another explosion thanks to the 2023 World Cup.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup began yesterday (Thursday), following a history-making European Championships in England in 2022, as the interest in women and girls football continues to soar.

Striker White visited Actonians Girls FC, who have formed a new team due to the uptake in participation following last summer’s success, and said: “It is incredible, since the Euros there has been over 170 girls football teams formed with National Lottery funding, and it has given so much access and opportunities for young girls and women to play football.

“You want players to be able to have access to a safe environment to be able to enjoy themselves playing football. We’ve seen that first hand here, and that is down to The National Lottery players who have helped fund this.”

Looking further at the Lionesses historic Euros success, White added: “I am super proud to have been part of the team last year, there isn’t many people who can say they have won something with England.

“I hope what we achieved last year helped to empower people to achieve their dreams, it doesn’t have to be in sport, but just in their own field to believe they can achieve something now, and that is really exciting.”

There has been a 54 per cent increase in participation numbers of women and girl’s football in the capital and Andrea Gooden, Equal Game Ambassador for Middlesex FA, added: “The impact of the Euros success has been really good, we have a load of our Wildcat centres building up and lots more girls going into league football and playing games.

“Wildcat centres offer opportunities for girls to get into a football environment rather than being scared to go straight into a team environment straight away, girls come in to have fun and that could be without a ball at their feet but playing games to get them used to football.”

Director of Women’s Professional Game at the FA, Kelly Simmons, further explained the impact of the legacy of the Lionesses successes.

“We set out a plan to ensure there was a legacy from the Women’s Euros with a commitment to ensure that over 500,000 new women and girls take part in football and we have exceeded those targets,” she said.

National Lottery players raise more than £30million a week for good causes including vital funding into sport – from grassroots to elite. Find out how your numbers make amazing happen at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk #MakeAmazingHappen #ThanksToYou