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UEFA invests in women’s football with ‘unstoppable’ campaign: €1 billion invested through campaign by 2030

Published on 31. October 2024 31. October 2024

Photo: UEFA

The UEFA is embarking on a new strategy for the development of women’s football. This rapidly growing sport among women worldwide has launched the campaign “unstoppable,” to which UEFA will allocate a remarkable one billion euros by 2030. The main goals are to make football the most played sport among women and girls in every European country and to increase the number of fully professional leagues.

UEFA Takes Serious Steps to Develop Women’s Football in Europe

The four long-term plans leading up to 2030 are:

Make football the most played team sport among women and girls in every European country,
Turn Europe into the home of the best female players in the world, with at least six fully professional leagues and over 5,000 professional players,
Establish women’s football as the most sustainable and attractive sport for investors, with UEFA-endorsed competitions breaking records,
Ensure women’s football is recognized for its unique values and community that makes everyone feel included.

Between 2024 and 2030, UEFA plans to invest one billion euros from competition revenues and various investments. This financial commitment will be distributed across representative competitions (senior and youth teams) and club competitions. UEFA is also planning to change the format of the women’s Champions League next year, following changes in the men’s competition. Starting in the 2025/26 season, the Champions League will adopt a league format featuring 18 clubs. Financial support will also be allocated to clubs, football associations, and activities that promote progress.

“The ‘unstoppable’ strategy is our roadmap for a sustainable future that will help us realize the full potential of women’s football. As we enter this very exciting era, we must continue with the same enthusiasm that has brought us this far. Our commitment to women’s football remains as strong as ever. Our mission is simple: to help women’s football gain a visible place in the European sports community,” said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.

“European women’s football has never been at a higher level. Women’s national teams and clubs are thriving, thanks to significant investments, improved competitive infrastructures, and thousands of emerging opportunities for professional play. Women’s football in Europe has become a sport for the masses, attracting an increasingly diverse base of fans and partners contributing to its growth. Our promise is to continue investing and to lead the game forward together with football associations, clubs, leagues, players, fans, and partners – because women’s football is unstoppable,” added UEFA’s Director General for Women’s Football Nadine Kessler.

The “unstoppable” strategy was developed in collaboration with numerous stakeholders in women’s football worldwide. It sets out UEFA’s strategic priorities for achieving a sustainable and vibrant future for the next generations of players, coaches, referees, volunteers, and fans. This strategy builds on the success of UEFA’s previous plan, known as “Time for Action”, initiated in 2019.

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The “Time for Action” strategy has been exceptionally successful to date. Here are just a few numbers that illustrate this success:

1.6 million players registered under UEFA (0.35% of the female population),
More than 50,000 clubs offer opportunities for women and girls to play football,
Over 16,500 referees (104% growth compared to the 2019/20 season),
Nearly 26,000 licensed female coaches (36% growth compared to the 2019/20 season),
About 200 coaches hold a UEFA Pro license (63% growth compared to the 2019/20 season),
Only 34% of clubs operate independently, not under the umbrella of men’s teams (this percentage was 46% in the 2020/21 season),
This season, there will be 43 cup competitions (up from 36 in the 2021/22 season),
This year, 35 football associations completed club licensing (a 43% increase compared to 2020),
The 2023/24 season features three fully professional leagues (only one league existed in the 2019/20 season),
The Champions League final was watched by 5.1 million viewers (a 96% increase compared to 2020),
The final of the 2022 European Championship was viewed by 50 million viewers (a 233% increase compared to the 2017 final).

The strategy has been supported by many highly successful female representatives in football, including Jill Scott (European Champion with England), Aitana Bonmati (winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2023 and 2024), Ada Hegerberg (top scorer in the Women’s Champions League), Lauren James (England representative and member of Chelsea), Giulia Gwinn (Germany representative and member of Bayern Munich), and Tess Olofsson (one of the most recognized referees from Sweden).

This text was automatically translated using AI.

Author: editorial Football Planet