When England beat Germany at Wembley in July 2022, it wasn't just a trophy that got lifted. It kicked off one of the fastest, best-documented shifts in grassroots sport this country has seen and four years on, with the Lionesses having successfully defended their title at Euro 2025, the numbers are still climbing. Here's what's actually changed for girls who want to play, not just watch.

The Numbers Behind the Moment

It's easy to assume a big win creates a short burst of interest that fades by September. That's not what happened here. In the four years since Euro 2022, 129,000 more girls have become involved in school football across the tournament's host cities, with the FA reporting over half a million new opportunities created for women and girls to play, coach, officiate, or volunteer. Nationally, there are now 845,000 girls playing football in England — up 176,000 since 2017-18.

It wasn't just about new players turning up either. The season after the win, a record 29,000 girls competed in the FA's National Cup, with the FA directly crediting England's victory as a driving factor. And the growth wasn't confined to players: female coaching numbers grew 75% and female referee registrations rose 21% in the year following the tournament.

"You Can Feel the Game Grow"

Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps put it simply when reflecting on the legacy, people kept telling her they'd stopped playing football as teenagers, for whatever reason, "but then they'd say watching the Euros..." was what brought them back.

The FA's senior national development manager for grassroots football, Stacey Mullock, sees it as a foundation being laid rather than a one-off spike: "Grassroots football is the backbone of our future England teams. The game has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, fostering genuine optimism regarding our talent funnel."

Euro 2025: Proof the Momentum Didn't Stop

If anything, the last twelve months have shown this isn't a one-tournament story. England's Euro 2025 final against Spain which was won on penalties, with Chloe Kelly scoring the decisive spot-kick (in her infamous style!!) pulled in a TV audience of 16.2 million, making it the single most watched moment on British television that year.

That growing appetite is being felt beyond the broadcasters too. She Scores, the platform dedicated to covering the women's game, reached 10.2 million fans and over 650,000 engagements during the Euro 2025 tournament alone a sign of just how fast the conversation around women's football is growing, and proof that the audience isn't just tuning in for one match every few years, it's staying engaged between tournaments.

What This Means for Your Daughter

The headline takeaway for parents, football has genuinely overtaken netball as the most popular sport among girls in Britain, and the pathway into the game has never been more open. If your daughter has watched the Lionesses and wants to have a go herself, she's arriving at a moment when:

• Schools are expected to offer equal access to football for girls, following a government pledge secured directly off the back of the Lionesses' Euro 2022 campaign.
• Clubs are actively expanding girls' sections, with the number of women's and girls' football teams across England more than doubling over the last seven years.
• Role models are visible and accessible in a way they simply weren't a decade ago, Lionesses players regularly appear at grassroots events, school visits, and community sessions.

Is the Growth Still Happening in 2026?

The short answer is Yes!  

In May 2026, the Premier League, the FA, and the Football Foundation launched the Lionesses HERe to Play Fund, offering grants to clubs to run new recreational sessions and launch new affiliated girls' and women's teams, with a stated goal of delivering 8,800 new playing opportunities by 2028. It builds directly on the fund's first phase, launched off the back of the Euro 2022 win. Attendances at Barclays Women's Super League matches are up 239% since 2021, and the number of women's teams nationally has risen 95% since 2016. 

How Many Girls' Teams Are There Now?

The clearest sign of genuine, lasting change is at grassroots level and the number of women's and girls' football teams across England has more than doubled in the last seven years. That said, it's worth being honest that the pathway still narrows as girls get older and FA data shows there's currently only one senior women's team for roughly every four girls' teams, meaning plenty of girls who start young are still finding it harder to find a club to move into as they reach adulthood. It's a reminder that the "getting girls started" part of the legacy has worked brilliantly and now the next challenge is making sure there's somewhere for them to keep playing.

Where to Start: Wildcats

If your daughter just wants to try football for the first time, rather than sign up to a competitive team straight away, the FA's Wildcats programme is the easiest entry point. It's aimed at girls aged 5–11, runs in a fun, low-pressure, girls-only environment, and there are now more than 1,400 Wildcats centres across the country, run through local clubs and County FAs. It's specifically designed for girls who've never kicked a ball before as much as those who already play.

We recently sat down with Megan from Leicester and Rutland FA to talk about what a session actually looks like and how to find one near you  watch the interview here.

The Bottom Line

Four years on from Wembley, this isn't a story about one golden summer. It's a genuine, measurable shift in who gets to play football in this country,  and with Euro 2025 having added another wave of new fans and record viewing figures, the pathway for girls picking up a ball for the first time looks a great deal wider than it did in 2022.

Is your daughter thinking about joining a girls' team for the first time? Check with your local club or your county FA — most now run taster sessions specifically for new players.