麻豆社

Women鈥檚 football is on an incredible high around the world after a month of five international tournaments with record breaking crowds. Those tournaments have delivered new champions, new interest and new hope. The new champions are Papua New Guinea, South Africa and England. Perhaps more predictably there have also been trophies for the USA and Brazil.

The success has created a discussion about how this is a significant moment in the development of the game. But the journey to this point has been challenging. Fifty years ago, women鈥檚 football was banned in England. Now they have won the country鈥檚 first major football trophy since the men's World Cup in 1966.

We bring together three women who have also played for England: Stacey Copeland was in England Under-18s before becoming a Commonwealth champion boxer. She recalls the first time being allowed onto a boys鈥� football team at the age of eight. 鈥淚t was just amazing and then, during the game, a parent or a coach on the other team realised that I was girl,鈥� says Copeland, 鈥渁nd shouted across the pitch and insisted that I leave.鈥�

Together with former England defender Fern Whelan and 麻豆社 World Service Digital and Sport Editor, Anna Doble, they discuss with host James Reynolds how Euro 2022 can change the course of women鈥檚 sports.

Three sports commentators based in Rwanda, the Netherlands and the Philippines also discuss why women鈥檚 football is not just inspirational, it鈥檚 also enabling social change.

(Photo: Marielle Benitez-Javellana)