FA launches new strategy to drive women’s and girls’ football

The FA has unveiled its new ‘Reaching Higher’ strategy, outlining objectives for advancing women’s and girls’ football from 2024 to 2028.

Building on the organisation’s ‘Inspiring Positive Change’ initiative over the last four years, which recorded unprecedented growth across women’s football, the new plan focuses on amplifying the sport’s success and nurturing its full potential.

The Reaching Higher strategy focuses on four key areas. Firstly, it commits to preserving the unique culture and history of women’s football, paying tribute to the trailblazers who have shaped the sport and fostering its distinct qualities.

Secondly, it highlights an ambition for the country to win another major international tournament. This goal includes enhancing the talent pathway to create more inclusive access to football across all levels.

Additionally, the strategy focuses on developing high-quality competitions to sustain the competitive integrity of leagues, from the Adobe Women’s FA Cup to the FA Women’s National League.

The FA also seeks to ensure equal opportunities for women and girls to play football by expanding access within schools, aiming for 90% of schools to offer girls’ football in key stages two and three.

Supporting these strategic priorities are five critical themes intended to foster a supportive environment throughout women’s football: promoting female health and well-being, enhancing safeguarding measures, recruiting a diverse generation of referees, empowering coaches, and ensuring that diversity and inclusion remain at the heart of the game.

The Reaching Higher strategy will also leverage increased commercial investments, advanced data and technology, targeted marketing, and improved facilities to support these initiatives.

Baroness Sue Campbell, Director of Women’s Football at the FA, said, “There’s no question that in the last four years we have made significant and tangible progress across every aspect of women’s and girls’ football, but there is no room for complacency – we must strive to reach higher.

“Although diversity within the women’s game is improving, we must double our efforts to ensure every girl and woman feels they are welcome within the football family whether as players, coaches, officials or leaders.

“We can be proud of what has achieved to date, but now is the time to refocus our priorities so we can unlock the true potential of women’s and girls’ football.”

Mark Bullingham, Chief Executive Officer at the FA, added, “Until we have the same number of women and girls playing as men and boys, there is still more work to do across the game.

“None of our ambitious plans can be delivered without seamless collaboration with football’s stakeholders, including the new independent body running the top two divisions of the women’s game.

“We head into the 2024-28 period in great shape, with ambition to deliver more growth and societal change.“

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