Three months to go – the countdown to the Women’s EURO is on

With just three months to go until UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 kicks off in Switzerland, excitement is building for what promises to be another showcase of the rapid growth of women’s football. Yet, as the tournament approaches, in England and elsewhere, the sport continues to be overshadowed by systemic problems that go far beyond the pitch.

For example, last month, former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales was convicted of assaulting Jenni Hermoso after Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory in 2023. His forced kiss on Hermoso during the trophy presentation became a global scandal, highlighting the struggles women still face in football—even at the highest level. While Rubiales received a suspended prison sentence and a fine, the case exposed deeper issues of sexism and abuse in the sport.

Rubiales’ conviction is a victory for accountability, but it also serves as a reminder of the challenges women players continue to face across Europe, especially at the grassroots level where sexual abuse often goes unpunished.

And while much of the focus during the upcoming  tournament will be on elite-level football, significant challenges exist throughout the game, particularly when it comes to access for women and girls at the grassroots level.

Despite England’s success at international level—winning Euro 2022 and reaching the World Cup final in 2023—women and girls still face significant barriers when trying to play football. The Lionesses’ triumphs have inspired a new generation, but the infrastructure to support them remains inadequate.

In October 2021, the FA England launched its #LetGirlsPlay campaign to give equal opportunities to girls to play football in schools and clubs. Following their Euro 2022 success, the Lionesses urged the government to pledge that all girls would be given access to football in PE classes. While some progress in access to football facilities for girls has been made, it is nowhere close to what is available to boys and men.

There is still a dramatic need for more women coaches to run football sessions and to inspire girls. While more and more women get involved in football, the game is still suffering from a shameful legacy of the FA ban on women football, which lasted for nearly 50 years, between 1921 and 1970. It resulted in the “lost generation” of women who were prohibited from playing football. While the FA now takes steps to promote women’s football the legacy of the ban will take many years to reverse.

While the Women’s Super League (WSL) and the England national team receive growing investment, funding for grassroots women’s football remains insufficient. Many girls’ teams struggle to find financial support for equipment, travel, and coaching, making it harder for them to compete and develop. Without better financial backing, talent is being lost before it even has a chance to reach the elite level. While there is pressure on football clubs to make profit, many grassroots clubs still prioritise men’s and boys’ teams for prime slots, leaving women’s teams with limited access to quality facilities. Lewes FC or Clapton CFC are rare examples of smaller, semi-professional or grassroots clubs offering equal opportunities to their women’s and men’s teams.

Although attitudes towards women’s football have improved, there are still outdated stereotypes affecting the game. The perception that football is still “a men’s sport” lingers. For example, Parliament is now debating the Football Governance Bill. While the name may suggest that the bill aims at covering all football – both men’s and women’s – in fact it only really deals with men’s football. While there may be some valid reasons for separating regulation of men’s football from women’s football the name of the bill and the language that is being used which does not even acknowledge women as footballers is at the least unfortunate.

In July 2023, former Lioness Karen Carney published findings and recommendations of her review into the future of women’s football, which addressed many of the challenges facing the game. While many of the recommendations, especially at the top level of the game have been implemented the change at the grassroots level persist, and they are unlikely to be resolved without significant political and financial support.

With Euro 2025 on the horizon, now is the perfect time to push for meaningful change in women’s football. The tournament will bring global attention to the sport, creating an opportunity to drive investment, improve facilities, and break down barriers for future generations.

The success of England’s Lionesses has already shown that progress is possible. Their Euro 2022 victory led to increased visibility for the sport, higher attendance at WSL matches, and growing commercial interest. However, for this momentum to translate into long-term change, action must be taken at all levels of the game.