There UEFA has launched a new strategy for women’s football – Unstoppable – to continue football’s incredible growth, with a stated ambition to make it the most played team sport by women and girls in every European country, while increasing the number of championships completely professional.
Unstoppable, a project developed in collaboration with football stakeholders across Europe, sets out UEFA’s strategic priorities to achieve a vibrant and sustainable future for the next generation of players, coaches, referees, volunteers and fans. The document, presented today, sets out UEFA’s vision for the football movement, and bases the planning of the current program on the success of the previous plan launched in 2019, Time for Action.
The strategy defines four long-term objectives for 2030:
• Make football the team sport most practiced by women and girls in every European country, through the development of football paths for players, coaches and referees, as well as strategies aimed at grassroots football.
• Making Europe home to the best female footballers in the world, with six professional leagues and 5,000 professional female players across the continent.
• Making football the most sustainable and investable women’s sport, with European competitions capable of writing record after record.
• Ensure women’s football is celebrated for its unique values and community, where everyone believes they have a place.
Over the 2024-30 period, €1 billion in UEFA competition revenues and investments will be channeled into women’s football through senior and youth competitions, club competitions, grants to clubs and national associations and football growth projects. movement.
The President of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferinsaid: “Unstoppable is our road map to laying the foundations of a sustainable future, unlocking the full potential of women’s football. As we enter this exciting new era, we must continue with the same passion that has brought us this far. Our dedication to the cause remains as strong as ever. Our mission is simple: to help women’s football gain a place of prominence in the European sporting community.”
Nadine KesslerUEFA Director General for Women’s Football, explained: “European women’s football has never been in a better place. National teams and clubs are excelling thanks to huge investments, improved competition formats and thousands of opportunities to play football at a professional level.”
“Women’s football in Europe has become a sport for the masses, attracting an increasingly broad and diverse fan base and partners who actively contribute to its growth. It is our promise to continue to invest and continue the movement’s growth path. All European national federations, leagues, clubs, players, fans and commercial partners are part of our journey – because women’s football is ‘unstoppable’ (Unstoppable ed.)”.
Unstoppable is supported by some of Europe’s best-known players and referees who share UEFA’s ambition and vision for the future of women’s football: Jill Scott (Women’s EURO winner with England), Aitana Bonmati (Ballon d’Or 2023 and 2024), Ada Hegerberg (UWCL’s all-time top scorer), Lauren James (Chelsea and England star), Giulia Gwinn (Bayern Munich and Germany star) and Tess Olofsson (Sweden) appear in a film at accompanying the project.