Sir Keir Starmer’s government is open to meeting with the England Women’s national side to discuss girls’ access to football in schools, i can reveal.
Thousands of girls are still unable to join teams or receive coaching, two years on from the Lionesses’ Euro 2022-winning squad writing an open letter to the previous government urging them to “create real change”.
As reported by i in July, only 43 per cent of girls aged 11-16 have access to football in schools, compared with 66 per cent of boys.
A UK Government spokesperson told i: “The success of the Lionesses in recent years has been inspiring. We are determined to support the growth of women’s and girls’ football, from elite to grass-roots level.
“That is why in July we set out plans to support the next generation of footballers with a commitment to continued funding for inclusive grass-roots facilities.
“We have also launched a review of the school curriculum to ensure all pupils get access to high-quality physical education, school sports, and physical activities.”
England captain Leah Williamson told i she “expects those conversations [with the UK Government] to reignite” following the general election in July.
“It’s not been a conversation that we’ve had yet,” she said.
“Keir Starmer was a huge supporter of us [as Leader of the Opposition] in terms of attending games and I know he has a huge interest in football.”
The Conservative government’s guidance had at one point suggested that schoolgirls could be offered “comparable activities” in PE lessons, rather than the same opportunities as boys to play football.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced criticism for failing to attend the Euro 2022 final and for not hosting the Lionesses at a No 10 reception after their victory, an offer which has been made to other successful English sporting teams. Rishi Sunak did not attend the 2023 Women’s World Cup final in Sydney, which England lost to Spain.
i understands the FA is continuing to work alongside the government and has met some of its girls’ access targets early. Across all age groups, 77 per cent of girls now have access to football as part of the curriculum, a two per cent increase from 2023.
Eighty-five per cent of primary schools offer equal access, but that rate falls to 50 per cent in secondary schools.
However, girls’ football as an extra-curricular activity has increased by six per cent since last year and now stands at 64 per cent.
There has been a surge in girls and women’s participation over the past two years but grass-roots clubs and schools have been struggling to keep up with demand, partly due to funding and the number of volunteers and coaches required to run sessions. Non-statutory government guidance was published in March announcing girls and boys should be offered the chance to play the same sports in schools.
In the year up to October 2023, there was a 12 per cent increase in the total number of females playing football for clubs and an 18 per cent increase in female youth players. Initiatives are also focusing on increasing the number of female referees and coaches with a minimum of an FA Level One certificate.
In July, Sir Keir announced plans alongside Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to double the number of gold-standard community clubs – those which meet a three-star criteria – for both male and female players by June 2028.
“The Three Lions and the Lionesses have brought the nation so much joy over the last year,” Sir Keir said in July after England’s men’s team reached the final of Euro 2024.
“Playing each week, I know the importance and joy that football and sport more widely brings to so many people. Inspired by the Three Lions, we are breaking down the barriers to opportunity which stops the new generation of footballers from taking to the field and will celebrate those who keep the beautiful game alive in our communities and clubs.”
The independent review into women’s football led by former England international Karen Carney in 2023 asked the government “to deliver on recent commitments around equal access to school sports for girls” and called on key stakeholders to “increase investment to accommodate meaningful access for women and girls to play sport”.
It also suggested the FA, Premier League and Football Foundation should collaborate to ensure women and girls’ football felt the benefit of funding from “across the pyramid”.
“There’s so many good initiatives and we’ve nodded to the fact that it’s up to those people in positions of power now to provide the opportunity and put money towards those things because you do have this spike of interest,” Williamson added.
“We’ve come so far but there is still a mountain to climb. I’ve said before no one should be surprised when I say my job is a professional footballer and the minute that becomes normal that will be a generational change. Then that’s when we’re really making the progress that we’ll see that will be cemented in terms of the position that women’s football is at.”
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