A history of women's football
It's time to have a look at the history of Women's Football.
The original article was posted on GM Footy 0161 back in 2020.
Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. A similar game was played by women during the Han Dynasty.
The modern game of football or soccer (as it's also known) has documented the early involvement of women. It is believed that French women played a form of the sport around the 12th century.
An annual competition in Mid-Lothian, Scotland during the 1790s is reported, too. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on the pitch. This made it much more socially acceptable for women to play.
Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of WW1, when employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for the men's game several decades earlier.
Despite being more popular than some men's football events, women's football was halted in 1921. The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on Association members' pitches, on the grounds stating that "the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged."
Check out this video from BBC Teach titled The History of Women’s Football.
Despite the ban, some women's teams rebelled against the FA and continued to play. The Ladies Football Association was formed. Games were moved to rugby grounds.
The end of the ban
It wasn't until 1971 that the ban was overturned in England. In the same year, UEFA recommended that the national associations in each country should manage the women's game.
It was not until 2008 (87 years later), that the FA issued an apology for banning women from the game of football.
Six years prior in 2002, Lily Parr of Dick Kerr's Ladies FC, was the first woman to be inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. Lily Parr was later honoured with a statue in front of the museum
The attitudes towards women's football were still poor even in the late '90s and early '00s, with even mainstream pundits and presenters (such as the now-disgraced Richard Keys & Andy Gray) openly mocking.
Into the 21st Century
At the beginning of the 21st century, women's football began to grow in popularity. More professional leagues were created worldwide. From the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup tournament held in 1991 to the 1,194,221 tickets sold for the 1999 Women's World Cup visibility and support of women's professional football has increased around the globe.
The professional women's game is now watched by millions of fans. Some of the players are now being idolised like some of the men's players.
It has also attracted a much more professional approach from a broadcasting perspective. You only have to see the coverage now provided by SkySports and BT Sport.
Some recent moments in the women's game
The 2021 Women's Champions League final saw Chelsea concede four goals in the first 36 minutes as Barcelona blew them away to win their first title in Gothenburg.
Yet again, here's the evidence of the media's attitude towards the women's game now. The coverage is very professional and will only continue to improve now.
