Euro 2025: What will Wales’ qualification for the women’s game mean?

It was the last whistle they had waited a lifetime for, the impact of which can now be heard by generations to come.

There were emotional scenes in Dublin on December 3 as the Wales players’ dream came true. Qualifying for a major women’s tournament for the first time.

It means Jess Fishlock and her team will take their place on one of the biggest stages in the women’s game when they compete at Euro 2025.

The importance of Welsh football is said to extend far beyond that. A month-long tournament in Switzerlandbut what difference will Euro 2025 make for Welsh women’s football?

Anticipation is already building. Group games Against former winners Netherlands, Euro 2022 semi-finalists France and Defending champions England.

Already up, Welsh football officials are predicting that the ability will greatly increase the number of girls playing football in the country.

Studies show that England’s Euro 2022 victory was a year away. The next season saw a 140 percent increase..

There has been progress in Wales for some time, with the number of girls in registered clubs increasing rapidly since 2016, when The men’s team reached the Euro semi-finals..

In 2016, the number of players was around 6000. The Football Association of Wales (FAW) had already set a target of 20,000 players by 2026 and is now closer to 18,000.

The boost could actually be bigger, with figures that don’t include football played in schools.

“I think we will smash that target now with the team qualifying,” said chief football officer Dave Adams.

“I’m really hoping that it acts as a catalyst and inspires others to become the next generation of Jess Fishlock, Inghard James and Rhiannon Roberts.”

Wales’ most capped player and record goalscorer Jess Fishlock said: “The whole point of it, initially. [was that] I wanted to expand the game for the future and make it better than what it was, so I think I can sit here and say we did a pretty good job at it.

“Not only do you want to be a footballer and play for the women’s national team, but it’s a very valuable and valid career path if you want to do it. It will be huge for girls going forward. I want to play.”

Alice Carlton, independent chairwoman of the FAW’s board of directors, said grassroots “is what it’s all about”.

FAW Youth Council Vice-Chair, Bego Elaine, said she hoped it would bring more women into the sport to volunteer, as well as increase the presence of women at the grassroots level.

“It will bring confidence to women in sport here in Wales and will influence many generations.”

Officials believe increased visibility, as well as important Welsh role models, will have a similar impact on the men’s side in 2016.

Ahead of the qualifiers, former Wales captain and UEFA vice-president Laura McAllister said Wales were “sensible enough” to seize the opportunity to grow the game and that women’s football in Wales could be affected. is “Stratospheric Heights”.

“For me, I think it’s probably going to be the most important historical thing, maybe even in women’s sport, not just soccer,” she added.

Fishlock said the win had put Wales women on a “monumental line” that we had been waiting for for a long time.

The hope is that the young players will not only grow but also take an interest in coaching.

The FAW accepts there are still problems when it comes to attracting female coaches to the game, with many working as chairwomen or secretaries of junior and grassroots clubs but stepping into the coaching arena. Do not choose to keep.

But one coach said Wales qualifying was “going to be priceless”.

Nia Davis coached playoff goal scorers. Lily Woodham And Carrie Jones At junior level and now captains Wales Under-19s.

She said: “We are seeing more women on courses than ever before and seeing what Ryan Wilkinson has done is very encouraging for those on this career path.”

Davies said she believed Euro 2025 would leave “a legacy” and “potentially be massive for women’s sport in general, not just football”.

She expects more men to see women’s soccer as an attractive coaching option as well.

Head Coach of Wales Wilkinson said she wanted to frame the moment. Wales came out of the hat in the group stage draw, a moment that marked their place among European football’s elite.

Given the interest in the women’s game, the televised tournament is expected to be televised on land.

Record attendances at Euro 2022 in England were broken, with 84% of fans surveyed by UEFA claiming the final had improved their perception of women’s football.

Wales’ average crowd has risen from 1,800 to 5,370 in 2021 ahead of home Euro play-off games.

Also, 350,000 viewers watched coverage of Ireland v Wales in Wales, with a further 400,000 watching in the UK – the most since the Wales v England World Cup qualifier in 2018.

BBC Wales director Rhuanedd Richards said the next 12 months could provide the platform to transform support for women’s sport.

She added: “By highlighting our women athletes and teams individually and collectively, celebrating their achievements, creating heroes and advocating for fairness, we are paving the way for wider social change. “

McAllister said the 2016 men’s semi-final “lit up a nation in terms of support” and millions of people “heard our anthem, they saw our flag, they engaged with the fans”.

Ms Davies said having the Games on TV was “hugely important” because “if you can’t watch it, you can’t be it”.

Ms Elaine said: “I think it not only promotes and respects women in football but also brings money from the national level down to the grassroots level.”

Wales will benefit financially just by reaching Switzerland, with the FAW banking around £1.5m before further bonuses for wins.

Some of the cash will be taken through travel and facility fees as well as player payments.

But the real prize comes from sponsorship spin-offs and commercial tie-ins — not to mention the potential to attract future investment that officials say has been difficult to put a price on.

Some companies are keen to align themselves with the women’s sport, seeing it as a positive brand more worthy of support than rival sports or even the men’s sport.

And, with the boom expected to continue, Wales will need to make the most of its Euro opportunities.

FAW chief executive Noel Mooney admitted: “Our problem is that there are thousands and thousands of girls who want to play football – what a big problem but the problem is facilities, coaches and making sure we have the infrastructure. “.

“We are in positive discussions with the Welsh Government and local authorities to build the thousands of pitches we need to meet the explosion in girls who want to be the next Jess Fishlock and Sophie Ingle at the end of the tournament. are.”

Ms Davies said “we need to seize the opportunity as an organisation” with better grassroots participation, commercial sponsors and investment to enable the FAW to achieve its strategy for women’s and girls’ sport. Allows for a better platform.

Former Wales international Helen Ward said: “For so long we’ve been living almost in the shadows. We haven’t taken that next step yet – this is it.

“For women and girls I feel like this is the moment, you know, this is our moment.”