The England senior women’s fixture against the Czech Republic in Brighton on Tuesday (11 October 2022) will be dedicated to ‘Let Girls Play’, The FA’s campaign for every girl to have equal access to football in their school and community.
The international fixture falls on the 10th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl, a worldwide movement to increase attention on issues that matter to girls and drive more opportunities for girls to have their voices heard on the global stage.
All 23 members of the England women’s team will take to the field during the warm-up wearing ‘#LetGirlsPlay’ t-shirts in a show of support for girls across the country.
Head coach – and former PE teacher – Sarina Wiegman will also wear a ‘#LetGirlsPlay’ pin badge throughout the fixture.
The ‘Let Girls Play’ campaign encourages people to stand up and use their voice to help make a difference and address any inequality of football provision.
Equal access to football is a cause the team continue to passionately champion after the Lionesses collectively wrote an open letter following their UEFA Women’s EURO triumph asking for reform to Physical Education and the provision of football in schools.
Girls will take centre stage on the night when the EURO winners head back to the Brighton & Hove Community Stadium, the scene of two of their most memorable EURO 2022 victories.
Students from the Regis School, who are part of the Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships, will take part in a half-time pitch parade.
A number of player escort positions have been given to girls from local schools. Girls from Brighton & Hove Albion’s Academy will form part of the pre-match banner parade and take on the role of ball persons during the game.
Let Girls Play ambassadors Abi and Zaina will also attend the fixture. As ambassadors, they continue to influence decision-makers within communities and schools to make change and empower and inspire girls to stand up for what they believe in.
Leah Williamson, the England captain who will miss the game with an injury, said: “After this summer’s success we are keen to create a real legacy in this country, we want every young girl in the nation to be able to play football at school and we won’t stop until the opportunity to play our sport is equal to everyone. Currently, only 67% of schools offer football equally to girls and boys in PE lessons and that is not enough.
“There is a generation of girls who deserve more. Each and every one of us is wholeheartedly behind this campaign and we’re all grateful to our teammate Lotte Wubben-Moy for the work she continues to do with the support of The FA on this.
“Tomorrow night will hopefully continue this important conversation and ask people to consider what more they could be doing to help girls overcome inequality, all we are asking is that girls have the choice.”
Baroness Sue Campbell, The FA’s Director of Women’s Football, said: “We are hugely proud of the players as they continue to take a stand.
This summer they not only proved themselves as world-class players but a group of fantastic role models committed to driving transformational societal change.
“The FA’s ‘Inspiring Positive Change’ strategy was launched in 2020 and pledged to address the inequalities happening in schools up and down the country by 2024 but this summer showed the time for change is now, we cannot miss the opportunity that has been presented to us.
The players have our wholehearted support and we will continue to do everything to ensure every girl has the opportunity to play if they so wish.”
The Let Girls Play website provides inspiring resources to help influence the start of change and allow more girls to feel the mental and physical benefits of exercise through playing football.