The FA has officially lifted the curtain on its new strategy, Reaching Higher, aimed at driving the momentum in women’s and girls’ football through 2028.
Following the success of Inspiring Positive Change (2020-2024), which saw record numbers of female players, coaches, officials, and fans joining the sport, the FA is now setting its sights on achieving even greater goals.
This fresh, focused blueprint tackles participation, competition quality, and the unique character of the women’s game, with a vision to deliver lasting advancements in equality, inclusion, and access to football for all girls and women.
The new strategy outlines four strategic priorities:
- Build and protect the uniqueness of the women’s game – Continue to honour the history of women’s football and recognise those who have contributed towards making it so unique, whilst ensuring the distinct qualities and unique culture of the women’s game is valued and protected.
- Win a major tournament – The dream to win more tournaments. Continue to be world-leaders both on and off the pitch, developing the players and building an inclusive talent pathway system to make football more equal and accessible at every level of the game, ensuring the England pathway and teams represent society.
- Build robust, high-quality competition – Create compelling competition structures and support clubs to develop to the appropriate level within the game, while enabling people to grow and develop within our competition structures. Build on the success of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup and FA Women’s National League, ensuring all competitions are exciting and provide entertaining football.
- Deliver equal opportunities for women and girls to play – Sustain our growth in schools whilst tackling inequalities. Continue to grow the number of female teams and deliver vibrant league offers whilst extending and enhancing our sessional football offer. The ambition is for 90% of schools to deliver equal access for girls to play football in key stages 2 & 3.
There are five golden threads that weave through each of the four strategic priorities and across all levels of the women’s and girls’ game, and will be instrumental for delivering the next phase of growth by 2028:
- Female health and well-being – develop the game to support women and girls with their health and well-being needs, providing them with environments in which they can thrive
- Safeguarding – support the evolution of an ever-safer culture across the women’s and girls’ game
- Refereeing –grow and nurture a new generation of referees who are representative of our society
- Coaching – support and develop brilliant coaches capable of unleashing every player’s potential in a safe and inclusive game
- Diversity and inclusion – ensure the game is more reflective of our society
Reaching Higher will be powered by four key areas: increased commercial investment, data and technology advancements, enhanced marketing, and upgraded facilities.
This multifaceted approach is designed to make women’s and girls’ football more sustainable and to bridge gaps in resources and visibility.
As Baroness Sue Campbell, FA Director of Women’s Football, puts it, “There’s no question that in the last four years we have made significant and tangible progress across every aspect of women’s and girls’ football, but there is no room for complacency – we must strive to reach higher.
Although diversity within the women’s game is improving, we must double our efforts to ensure every girl and woman feels they are welcome within the football family whether as players, coaches, officials or leaders.
We can be proud of what has been achieved to date, but now is the time to refocus our priorities so we can unlock the true potential of women’s and girls’ football.”
Chief Executive Officer Mark Bullingham echoed these sentiments, adding, “Until we have the same number of women and girls playing as men and boys, there is still more work to do across the game.
In the next four years, we will set our sights on more international success, as well as building the quality and sustainability of our women’s and girls’ leagues and cup competitions and developing facilities to match our ambitions.
None of our ambitious plans can be delivered without seamless collaboration with football’s stakeholders, including the new independent body running the top two divisions of the women’s game.
We head into the 2024-28 period in great shape, with ambition to deliver more growth and societal change.”
Reaching Higher signals an exciting new chapter for FA growth for women’s and girls’ football, showcasing the FA’s commitment to empowering the next generation.