Growing female football
England hosted the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 tournament in nine towns and cities, giving fans across the country the chance to be part of the event and enabling its economic benefits to be shared nationwide.
The tournament also reached into those communities to create positive social impacts, change perceptions of women’s football, build interest in it and seed new participation at the game’s grassroots.
The EURO 2022 Legacy Programme was key to those participation ambitions. Driven by eight host city Legacy Groups that included representation from community football organisations, schools and local authorities, it focused on giving girls equal access to opportunities to play. To achieve that ambition, the programme supported coaches, referees and local leaders in organising football for their communities, and promoted inclusive, safe and welcoming environments for every woman or girl wanting to play, irrespective of their ability, disability, age or ambition.
Read more: UEFA European Women’s Championship 2022 Post-Tournament Report (External PDF)
574,875
Tournament attendance
+73
Net Promoter Score (spectators)
74%
of local residents surveyed felt that the Tournament brought their community closer together.
78%
of volunteers reported feeling happier than usual because of their involvement in the Tournament
79%
of Legacy Programme participants reported improved confidence and self-esteem.
418,000
New opportunities to engage women and girls in football across host cities (as of May 2023)
2.3 million
More women playing football regularly following on from the tournament
£49 million
Direct GVA contribution across host cities
£81m
Total GVA contribution across host cities
820
FTE jobs supported directly as part of the Tournament
1,200
Total FTE jobs supported
374.2 million
Cumulative live viewership (across 197 territories)
453.3 million
Social media interactions
More than 43,000 people also took part in an Arts and Heritage Programme running alongside the tournament, which attracted an overall live audience of almost 214,000 to its performances.