Overview
It’s a big day for inclusive football in England! Footy Addicts and Girls United have teamed up to make football more accessible for women and non-binary players. This partnership aims to provide more opportunities to play football while supporting the next generation.
Champions of Gender Equality in Football
Founded in 2017, Girls United has been at the forefront of promoting gender equality in football. Operating in South London and Mexico, the club focuses on empowering girls and young women aged 5 to 18 through the sport. With over 4500 players in 32 locations, Girls United not only offers football training but also nurtures leadership qualities and challenges societal stereotypes, ensuring that their impact extends beyond the field.
Making Casual Football Truly Inclusive
As highlighted in the Mundial Mag documentary, Footy Addicts has transformed the way casual football players connect and play. Since 2013, we’ve been simplifying finding and organising local football games, turning empty pitches into buzzing football hubs and making the sport accessible to everyone. Consequently, in 2023, we’ve grown our community to 215,000 registered players creating over 50,000 opportunities to play inclusive football every month. Our games have always been co-ed and open to players of all abilities. Literally, everyone 16+ is welcome.
What’s the Goal?
The partnership between Girls United and Footy Addicts is fuelled by shared objectives.
Inclusivity and Accessibility in Football
Central to this partnership is the goal to make football even more accessible. So, it’s a chance to create space where underrepresented groups feel welcome to play.
Community Building
As we kick off new inclusive football sessions, we want to foster a sense of community, where participants not only play together but also get to know each other by meeting regularly.
With the majority of our work focusing on girls and young adults, we’re looking forward to growing our South London community
Josh Emerson, Girls United Global Marketing & Comms Manager
All about that healthy life
We all know running around the pitch is a solid way to stay in shape, but it’s the laughs, the saves, the near misses, and the ‘what a ball!’ moments that really boost our moods. Most importantly, we want everyone to enjoy the game and keep the good energy that comes with it.
More football opportunities for women and non-binary players
The partnership kicks off with weekly casual football games at JAGS Sports Club in Dulwich, welcoming women and non-binary players of all skill levels, especially beginners. These sessions, held every Thursday evening, are an opportunity to connect and grow an inclusive football community.
The initiative extends beyond the pitch, with plans to create more games and raise funds to support the growth of women’s football while nurturing the next generation of female players.
A Word from the Founders
“We’re very excited to be working with Footy Addicts who share in our values of providing more opportunities to football for women and non-binary players. With the majority of our work focusing on girls and young adults, we’re looking forward to growing our South London community to include adult players and lean on Footy Addicts expertise in this area to encourage more people to give football a go in a relaxed and inclusive environment!” Josh Emerson, Girls United Global Marketing & Comms Manager
“The Footy Addicts community is really proud to collaborate with Girls United to build happier, healthier, and more active communities. Our partnership with Girls United underscores our commitment to providing more opportunities for not only adults but also for our youth to stay active. Over the past years, Girls United has been doing an amazing job in empowering young women, which aligns perfectly with the values and mission of Footy Addicts.” Konstantinos Gkortsilas, Footy Addicts
Giving Back with Every Inclusive Football Game
In conclusion, the beauty of these sessions lies in their purpose. Therefore, proceeds from these casual charity games go directly to Girls United, so the funding supports their mission to empower through football, ensuring that the impact of each game goes far beyond the pitch.
How to Play Your Part
Fancy a game? Grab your boots and sign up through the Footy Addicts app. And if you want to support Girls United directly, check out their website for more info.
Read next: The Power of Football: Football Beyond Borders & Footy Addicts Partnership