Women and girls to get grassroots football pitch access boost after England win
Priority access to grassroots football pitches for girls and women is set to be more than doubled under plans announced by the Government following on from England’s success at Euro 2025.
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As part of its 'Plan for Change', prime time slots dedicated to women's and girls' teams at Government-funded facilities across England will be increased over the next five years to meet the expected increased demand resulting from England's dramatic penalty shoot-out win over world champions Spain in Basel on Sunday.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will also honour England's second consecutive European Championship title by dedicating flagship sites and pitches to the Lionesses, helping to celebrate their own journeys from grassroots players to international success.
Having set out a £400 million investment in new grassroots facilities, which was announced in June 2025, a new grants scheme – in partnership with the Premier League and the Football Association, to be delivered by the Football Foundation – will focus on creating welcoming, safe and accessible amenities for women and girls at existing grassroots sports sites.
The Government will be introducing a new approach to school sport, working alongside schools and national governing bodies to make sure all children have access to high quality sport – with both girls and boys provided the same opportunities to play sport at school.
A new Women's Sport Taskforce will bring together leaders from across sport and academia, to focus on finding solutions to challenges facing women and girls in sport – from female athlete health to building a more diverse and dynamic workforce.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "Today we are taking decisive action to ensure that the incredible success of the Lionesses creates a lasting legacy for women and girls in sport.
"This isn’t just about celebrating today’s achievements – it is about building the foundations through our Plan for Change by removing barriers to participation.
"From ensuring every girl has equal access to sport in schools through our new partnership model, to creating facilities where women and girls can thrive, we are investing in the champions of tomorrow."