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10 hours ago
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Tables were thumped, hugs shared and arms raised in the air. There was a palpable sense of relief in the room at the Toca Social bar in White City as Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses romped to a commanding 4-0 win over the Netherlands to keep their Euro 2025 dreams alive.
More than 50 people had gathered at the bar, in which the England captain Leah Williamson is a stakeholder. The event was organised by members of the advocacy group Women In Football (WIF) and every England tackle and pass forward were cheered.
The crowd was young, passionate, and predominantly female, with a mix of first-time watchers and seasoned fans.
Among them is a grassroots coach from inner London, keen to learn how best to guide his girls’ team towards the professional ranks. An older man, attending on his own, explains he has five granddaughters who have recently developed a love for the game. It is, unmistakably, a space built for everyone.
England started the Euros in Switzerland with an underwhelming defeat against France but the electric performance against the Dutch sparks hope for Ana Briedermann, who grew up playing football in Paraguay before moving to London and adopting the Lionesses as her team. At half-time, she says: “This is the England we’ve been waiting to see.” Her friend Sarah nods in agreement, adding: “Something would have to go very wrong for England to lose now.”
Melissa Herman, senior vice-president of global communications at Toca, admits she thought England were in for a tougher night. “I did think the Netherlands were going to give them more of a game,” she says. “But Lauren James – unbelievable. She was just phenomenal. I think this sends a real message to the rest of the tournament. We’re going to see a different England now.”
By the time Ella Toone struck England’s fourth, father-daughter duo Martin and Milly Sheehan had begun singing the chorus of Status Quo’s 1977 hit Rockin’ All Over The World.
“It’s bonding time for me and my daughter,” says 53-year-old Martin. “This is something we both enjoy and we get to spend some quality time together. Milly’s played football for her school so as part of getting her into it, we thought we’d follow the women’s game.”
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Milly, 19, started following the Lionesses after witnessing their historic Euro 2022 triumph on home soil. “It was something incredible. I was so proud, ecstatic and it felt really good,” she says. “The women’s game has grown massively. The crowds at the Emirates are absolutely insane. Now there are 60,000 people turning up at some games.”
There is no doubt the women’s game has experienced a significant boom since the home Euros, evidenced by the record £65m Women’s Super League five-year deal with Sky Sports and the BBC. But a recent Women’s Sport Trust report showed television audiences for the WSL fell 35%, pointing to a slight dip in progress.
Lisa Parfitt, director of WIF, does not think it is a cause for concern. “One of the things we didn’t have was a national tournament,” she says. “We didn’t have a Team GB at the Olympics or a World Cup last year. The reality is these big events, like Euro 2025, are key drivers for people to see the game, to follow it.”
She expects audience figures to improve. “I think there is sustained support. The social content is excellent, to follow the different personalities and characters,” she adds. “It’s not quite habitual yet to attend women’s football matches, but clubs like Arsenal are doing a brilliant job investing in the fan experience.”
As an Arsenal fan, Milly agrees. After all, she has had selfies taken with Gunners such as Beth Mead and Katie McCabe.
Martin, proudly wearing an England kit with Mead’s name on the back, adds: “My daughter has ADHD, so seeing them [the players] as accessible has made a big difference to her engagement. But with more money and sponsorship coming in, hopefully it won’t create barriers.”
For Herman, all that matters now is creating inclusive spaces. She says: “It’s such an amazing feeling, being with people to celebrate something. You ride the highs and lows together, whether they’re losing or winning, you feel it as one.”
