Euros inspires surge in females taking up football

Three young girls who play for the Telford Wildcats standing next to one another in goal smiling to the camera. They are all wearing football shirts and the middle girl is holding a turquoise football.

Thea and Brooke, both nine, and Holly, 10, play football with the Telford Wildcats

Kate Baldock
Reporting from
Shropshire

Females of all ages are lining up to play football for the first time, thanks to England women's outstanding performance at the Euros.

Ian Preece, managing director of AFC Telford United Foundation, said there had been a surge in new members. "I am not exaggerating, there has been a 26% rise in youth club sessions of girls participating," he said.

"But it is not just girls, there are adult females as well wanting to try the game for the first time. Whatever the Lionesses have been doing, then keep it up."

England defended their European title with a 3-1 penalty shootout victory over Spain in the Euro 2025 final in Basel on Sunday.

Ian Preece standing on the pitch looking at the camera and smiling, wearing a blue top with children in the background playing football.

Ian Preece says girls and women are wanting to try the game for the first time

Back home, more than 16 million people saw the match live on TV.

Mr Preece said: "The achievement of the Lionesses over the last few years has just inspired generations of girls.

"And our female football sessions, where we do walking football, there are ladies that have never tried it before but always wanted to have a go."

The Wildcats football club for six to 12-year-old girls trains at the SEAH Stadium in Shropshire, home of AFC Telford United, which plays in the National League North.

One of the members, Thea, aged nine, said: "I thought the Lionesses did really well, and it is one of the best games they have ever done."

Her teammate Holly, 10, said she believed the Lionesses win "will inspire more people, as there are excellent players, and it has given the sport a boost".

Paige Gainham standing in a blue long sleeved top in an empty SEAH stadium with the pitch behind her as she smiles into the camera.

Wildcats coach Paige Gainham says England's win "was just an amazing feeling"

Paige Gainham is a coach with AFC Telford United Foundation and works with the young Wildcats.

She said: "As soon as that ball hit the net on Sunday's Euros final, it was just an amazing feeling, and it just shows that anything is possible.

"Chloe Kelly [England midfielder] started at an early age and built her way up, and it just shows that anyone can do it if you put your mind to it."

She added: "There was a time when you rarely saw women players on TV. It will make girls want to achieve what England did on Sunday."

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