Uefa women's football strategy

Introduction to "time for action"

The uefa women's football strategy, officially launched under the banner "Time For Action," represents a five-year plan (2019-2024) aimed at accelerating the growth of women's football across all 55 UEFA member associations. This comprehensive framework is not merely a set of guidelines; it's a strategic roadmap with clear objectives and measurable outcomes. Its primary goal is to double the number of women and girls playing football in Europe, significantly boost the value of UEFA's women's competitions, and enhance the profile and perception of the women's game.

Before "Time For Action," UEFA had various initiatives, but this strategy brought a more unified and aggressive approach to tackling key challenges and leveraging opportunities. It acknowledged the rapid global growth of women's football and positioned UEFA to lead this expansion in Europe, setting benchmarks for other confederations.

Pillar 1: increasing participation and grassroots development

A cornerstone of the uefa women's football strategy is the widespread increase in participation, from casual play to structured league football. UEFA aims to have 2.5 million registered female players by 2024. To achieve this, several key initiatives are in place:

• UEFA Playmakers: Inspired by Disney, this initiative uses storytelling and imaginative play to introduce football to 5-8 year old girls, making the initial experience fun and engaging, rather than intimidatingly competitive. This has been successfully rolled out in numerous countries, including England, Scotland, and Norway.
• Grassroots Funding and Support: Member associations receive financial and technical assistance to develop their own grassroots programs, creating pathways for young girls to progress from recreational play to club football. This often includes coach education specifically for women's and girls' football.
• School Programmes: Collaboration with national education systems to integrate football into school curricula, ensuring broad access and early exposure for girls.

For example, the Norwegian Football Federation, with UEFA's support, has significantly invested in school programs and local club initiatives, resulting in a steady increase in female youth registrations over recent years, demonstrating the tangible impact of this pillar of the uefa women's football strategy.

Pillar 2: enhancing the value of competitions and commercial growth

The uefa women's football strategy places significant emphasis on making women's competitions more appealing, commercially viable, and professional. This involves:

• Professionalisation of Leagues: Encouraging member associations to develop professional or semi-professional leagues, offering better contracts, training facilities, and support for players. This helps retain talent and improve the quality of play.
• UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) Revamp: A major aspect was the restructuring of the UWCL, introducing a group stage and centralized marketing and media rights from the 2021/22 season. This move dramatically increased visibility, prize money, and media exposure, attracting significant sponsors like Visa and PlayStation.
• UEFA Women's EURO: Elevating the profile of the Women's EURO, as seen with the record-breaking UEFA Women's EURO 2022 in England, which generated immense public interest, high viewership figures, and sell-out stadiums, culminating in over 87,000 fans at Wembley for the final.
• Dedicated Sponsorship: Actively seeking dedicated sponsors for women's football, separate from men's competitions, to generate specific revenue streams and demonstrate independent commercial value.

The success of the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 is a prime example of this pillar in action, demonstrating how strategic investment and marketing can transform a tournament's reach and impact, firmly establishing it as a major sporting event in its own right.

Pillar 3: strengthening foundations - coaching, refereeing, and governance

For sustainable growth, the uefa women's football strategy recognizes the need for robust foundations off the pitch. This includes:

• Coach Development: Increasing the number of female coaches at all levels and providing tailored coaching courses. UEFA's "B" and "A" Licence courses are increasingly seeing more female participants, and specific programs are designed to nurture female coaching talent.
• Refereeing Pathways: Developing a clear pathway for female referees, offering specialized training, and promoting them to officiate at the highest levels of the game. Stéphanie Frappart's appointment to officiate men's Champions League matches and the FIFA World Cup is a testament to the success in this area.
• Leadership and Governance: Encouraging more women to take up leadership and governance roles within football associations, clubs, and UEFA itself. Programs like the UEFA Women in Football Leadership Programme aim to equip women with the skills and networks needed to excel in these positions.
• Player Welfare: Ensuring that player welfare, mental health, and medical support are priorities, providing an environment where female players can thrive both on and off the pitch.

These efforts create a more inclusive and skilled ecosystem for women's football, ensuring that growth is supported by competent professionals in every aspect of the game.

Pillar 4: promoting visibility and role models

Visibility is crucial for inspiring future generations and attracting new fans. The uefa women's football strategy focuses heavily on media engagement and creating powerful role models:

• Enhanced Media Coverage: Working with broadcasters and media outlets to ensure wider and more prominent coverage of women's football. The centralized media rights for the UWCL have been instrumental in this, making games easily accessible globally.
• Marketing and Branding: Developing distinct branding and marketing campaigns for women's football, highlighting the skill, athleticism, and personalities of the players. The "WePlayStrong" campaign is a notable example, aiming to inspire girls and women to play and stay in football.
• Highlighting Stars: Promoting top female players as role models, showcasing their stories, achievements, and personalities through various media channels. Players like Alexia Putellas, Sam Kerr, and Ada Hegerberg are now household names due to increased media attention.
• Digital Engagement: Utilizing social media and digital platforms to connect directly with fans, share content, and build communities around women's football.

By making women's football more visible and its stars more recognizable, the uefa women's football strategy aims to break down stereotypes and demonstrate the excitement and quality of the game, ultimately inspiring a new generation of players and supporters.