Event set to showcase Manx women's football

The Isle of Man women's team secured bronze at the Island Games in Guernsey last year

Women's and girl's football will be showcased at an event at the island's national stadium in a bid to get more involved in the sport.

Former England player and current Liverpool FC Women's Ambassador Natasha Dowie will be the guest of honour at the event at the Bowl in Douglas on Wednesday.

Organised by the Isle of Man Football Association (IOMFA), it will see games played by local clubs as well as the national women's squad.

The IOMFA's Vicki Hotchkiss said it was part of a drive to get more women involved in "every aspect of the game".

The event is set to be held ahead of International Women's Day on Friday, and is designed to fit in with this year's theme of "inspiring inclusion", she said.

IOMFA non-executive director Ms Hotchkiss said the event, which is the first of its kind on the island, would "feature an evening of fun events aimed at showcasing football to the whole community".

'Important milestone'

The initiative is part of the IOMFA's strategy for the next four years to increase uptake of the sport by women.

Ms Hotchkiss said while there was a high-level of participation in the men's game, there was "a lot more that we can do" to grow the women's game.

National women's team captain Becky Corkish said the team was "really looking forward to the event".

"It's a great way to encourage more girls and women to get involved in football, and we really hope that it will help to grow the game," she said.

Lewis Qualtrough, IOMFA CEO, said it would be "an important milestone on our journey to make football accessible to everyone".

The association was "determined to make sure that everyone in the community feels included and welcome to participate in our sport at whatever level they choose", he added.