Lionesses star calls for more pubs to show women’s football

Gathering round a table with a few pints and packets of crisps is a rite of passage for any football fan, but it’s harder for those following the Women’s Super League (WSL).

Until recent years, women’s games were rarely broadcast on television at all – let alone in pubs or bars.

Research from pub chain Greene King has found that two thirds of British people (66%) still feel there’s a lack of awareness of female teams.

Just 26% believe their local watering holes are showing enough women’s sports.

England footballer Alex Greenwood, who plays for Manchester City in the WSL, has seen a wave of new fans since the Lionesses’s Euros success.

Allowing games to become as ‘accessible’ as possible is key to holding onto the new support, she explained.

It wasn’t until Greenwood started training with the likes of Fara Williams that she saw women’s football players in action, as it was impossible to watch when she was a child.

She told Metro.co.uk: ‘Women’s games weren’t on the television when I was younger. I grew up being taken to pubs to watch games, but you’d never see the women’s matches, so it will be really nice to see that change now.

‘To walk into pubs and see a women’s game on is going to be great visibility for us.

‘It makes games more accessible for fans, these are places where people go to socialise and watch football together.

‘All broadcast opportunities are important and that starts at the grassroots level – it’s about taking that chance on women’s football.

‘Broadcasting more women’s sports matches in public places will help us sustain the momentum and continue this improvement.’

According to the research by Greene King, more Brits than ever now support female sports.

The data, which was commissioned to mark International Women’s Day, also revealed that three quarters of the nation (76%) believe awareness for women’s sport has improved, but two thirds (66%) still believe that this is lacking in comparison to male teams.

And it seems pubs are taking note of demand for women’s sport, with 42% saying their local pubs are now showing more women’s sport than ever before, but just 26% believe their local pubs are showing enough women’s sports.

Greene King has vowed to ensure women’s sport gets the airtime it deserves, pledging to show all the games in the WSL for the 2023 season across many of its city centre pubs.

READ MORE: What 2022’s record-breaking women’s sport viewership means for the future

Amanda Royston, marketing director at Greene King, said: ‘Pubs are the original social network – offering people a chance to relax, unwind and socialise with friends.

‘We want our pubs to be safe and welcoming spaces for all people, and this is why we’re committed to inclusivity not just on International Women’s Day, but every day.

‘It’s clear from our research that people believe pubs have an important role to play in improving awareness and support for women’s sport.’

Greene King’s research found that confidence in the Lionesses’ abilities is also at an all-time high.

More than three quarters (78%) of Brits firmly believe the team will take home the silverware at this year’s Women’s Football World Cup.

Greenwood told Metro.co.uk: ‘We will take the tournament as it comes, that’s what we believe in.

‘We have quite a large preparation period before it starts which we will take really seriously so we’ll be ready to go at that first game.

‘Of course we want to be successful, and success looks very different to everyone. For us, we want to keep striving to improve the next generation and create opportunities for them.

‘Hopefully the football will follow that.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.