As anticipation builds for the start of the 2025 UEFA Women’s EUROs on July 2, a new wave of English supporters from their 2022 campaign will be tuning in.
Football matchday app FotMob recently surveyed over 2,000 UK football fans, revealing over 32% began following women’s football after the Lionesses European Championship victory over Germany at Wembley Stadium three years ago.
According to the data, more than 30% cited EURO 2022 or the 2023 Women’s World Cup – which saw England finish as runners-up – as their entry point to women’s football and acted as a catalyst for a new wave of supporters in the UK.
England’s EURO 2025 campaign starts with its opening group stage game against France on July 5, and FotMob’s data shows almost half (49.8%) of all respondents will tune into the competition this year, with 87% also backing the Lionesses to retain its trophy. Furthermore, over half a million fans have favourited the Lionesses on the FotMob app.
“The Lionesses didn’t just win a trophy in 2022 – they changed the face of football,” said FotMob Head of Global Partnerships, Mike Backler.
“We’ve seen first-hand the incredible growth in women’s football fandom, and it’s clear that this summer’s EUROs could be another landmark moment.”
The legacy of EURO 2022
England’s 2-1 victory over Germany in the EURO 2022 final continues to be one of the major catalysts for the increase in viewership, attendances and interest in women’s football across the UK.
The final drew a peak audience of 17.4 million on BBC, and 50 million overall, which is still to this day the most-watched women’s football game in the UK. The game also attracted eyes from around the world, with a record viewership of 365 million. Wembley Stadium also played host to a record sell out crowd for the 2022 final with 87,192 in attendance.
Since the 2022 final, The FA noted the number of women playing football in the UK has increased by 56%, while Deloitte found matchday income from Women’s Super League (WSL) games have increased by 73% throughout the 2023/24 season as all 12 clubs made £1m or more in revenue for the first time.
Participation breeding new health benefits
As a result of this newfound wave of football participation by women, research from mobile network EE has highlighted the new found mental health benefits. A report from the network provider found 93% who are part of a football network say they become more confident through the activity.
Whether through a local team, casual kickabouts or an online community, EE revealed that football participation has significantly reduced the negative impact of cyberbullying on social media and boosted teenage girls’ self-esteem and confidence.
Research was carried out by child and adolescent psychologist Dr Sheila Redfern, with over two thirds (69%) of respondents stating football gives them a sense of belonging. In contrast, of those girls who do not watch or play football, two fifths (44%) say social media has affected their confidence, while one quarter (27%) of respondents admit it has reduced their self-esteem.
Girls who are involved in football are also more likely to develop strong emotional resilience (66%) than their counterparts (49%), with nearly three quarters (72%) equipped to cope with negative online experiences. Three fifths (61%) of girls who watch or play football also say they are comfortable confiding in friends and family over social media pressures.
With EURO 2025 kicking-off today (July 2), participation is more than likely to increase amongst women. EE enlisted the support of Kelly Smith, former Lioness who scored 46 goals in 117 appearances for England, who shared what football means to her during and after her 23-year career.
“Football gave me absolutely everything growing up. I wasn’t a confident or outgoing person off the pitch but as soon as I was playing, I could be myself and show what I could do; it was where I felt most comfortable,” said Smith.
“The online world was very different back when I was starting out, but I’ve seen the pressures social media puts on young people now. Being part of a community is so important when it comes to building confidence and the resilience young people need to navigate the world. For me, there’s no community more powerful than the football family, and I really hope as many girls as possible get to feel a part of that.”
