"A lot of hard work, but we got there, it's fantastic news for us to be celebrating. "When we launched the strategy back in 2021... we had less than 10,000 players. "We really had to look strategically at how we wanted to achieve this, what was such an ambitious target at the time, and really focusing on what resource our clubs, our leagues needed, and how we can create national programmes that inspire girls and women of all ages from all different backgrounds to take up football."
"We've been doing extensive pieces of research with our partners at the Cymru Football Foundation to invest in facilities to make sure they're appropriate, first and foremost, for women and girls players," she added. "But also looking at prioritisation within clubs, ensuring that there's a voice that sits on a club committee that is coming from the female lens, understanding the needs and the desires of women and girls to be within those environments."
More than 20,000 girls and women are now registered to play football in Wales. Female participation grew by 58% over three years, with particular increases among under-14s to under-17s. The milestone was reached ahead of the original 2026 target after the women's national team reached its first major finals at Euro 2025. A 2021 FAW strategy started when there were fewer than 10,000 female players and set ambitious growth targets. The strategy focused on allocating resources to clubs and leagues, creating national programmes, investing in facilities through research with the Cymru Football Foundation, and encouraging female representation in club decision-making. The growth reflects coordinated effort by clubs, volunteers, and grassroots investment.
Read at www.bbc.com
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