On Wednesday, UEFA — the Union of European Football Associations — made a massive pledge to grow women’s soccer throughout Europe.
Over the next six years, UEFA has pledged to put €1 billion ($1.08 billion) toward all levels of women’s soccer in an attempt to quicken the sport’s rise across the continent. According to UEFA, the goal is to make “football the most-played team sport for women and girls in every European country.”
UEFA’s director of women’s soccer Nadine Kessler said the following in a statement.
“It is our promise to keep investing and collectively lead the game forward, with all European national associations, leagues, clubs, players, fans and partners part of our journey.”
This isn’t the first attempt to grow the game in Europe. In 2019, UEFA unveiled a strategy that hoped to see its 55 member federations register 2.5 million players. As of last year, a report stated that 1.6 million players had been registered.
UEFA’s latest strategy comes on the heels of a massive breakthrough on the international level. Last year, Spain became the first European nation to win the Women’s World Cup since 2007. The sport has long been dominated by the United States Women’s National Team — the federation has won the World Cup four times — but European teams have made considerable progress in recent years.
Women’s soccer has long struggled to compete with men’s soccer. For example, the 32 men’s clubs competing in this year’s Champions League are set to stare at least €2.5 billion ($2.71 billion). Meanwhile, the total prize money for the clubs in the Women’s Champions League is just €24 million ($26 million) — €22 million ($23.9 million) of the money is a subsidy from the men’s tournament.
In addition to the Champions League and World Cup, UEFA covets the European Championship. In 2022, 50 million viewers tuned in to watch Germany and England square off in the Final. Last year’s Champions League Final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg drew an audience of 5.1 million.
As part of the billion-dollar investment in the women’s game, UEFA has announced that the Hat Trick program — funded by the men’s European Championship — will send a total of €66 million ($71.6 million) to 55 members of women’s soccer between 2024-2028.
In FIFA’s latest Women’s World Ranking, five UEFA members are ranked within the Top 10 — England (2), Spain (3), Germany (4), Sweden (5), and France (10).
