July 7 – UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has hailed the start of the Women’s Euros, delayed for a year because of Covid, as changing the face of the women’s game.
England’s opening match with Austria on Wednesday smashed attendance records and Ceferin said the tournament “promises to be a game-changer for the future of women’s football – in the host nation England, across the continent and beyond.”
“This much-anticipated event has been delayed by a year amid the challenges presented by the pandemic – but the delay, while initially frustrating, has ultimately played to the advantage of the women’s game,” he said.
“The Women’s EURO has now become this summer’s major footballing attraction. It will capture the sporting headlines, put women’s football into the spotlight around the world, and, most important, attract a legion of new followers to the game – all essential to building a sustainable future for the sport.”
“For what is set to become the biggest and best-ever European Women’s Championship, there can be no better setting than England, the birthplace of football. Over a tough and testing three-week tournament, culminating in a showpiece final at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium on 31 July, Europe’s 16 finest teams and their talented footballers will take the women’s game to new heights of skill and competitiveness.
“Ticket sales have exceeded all expectations. The European Women’s Championship has written rich chapters in footballing history and EURO 2022 will be no exception, setting new benchmarks for the organisation of all women’s sports events.
“In troubled times for Europe, the Women’s EURO will demonstrate the power of football to lift spirits and deliver lasting, positive change.”
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