Research conducted by a leading financial institution has revealed a stark reality for female grassroots football players. A staggering 76% of female players expect to walk away from their teams or the sport altogether within five years if fresh funding is not found.
The findings paint a bleak picture of the amateur women's and girls' game. Almost every coach surveyed (97%) said their club needs more money, with girls being turned away, missing matches and dipping into their own pockets simply to play. This is in stark contrast to the professional game, where women's football has become big business, attracting record broadcast deals and headline sponsorships.
At grassroots level, the old inequalities persist. Two fifths (40%) of female players say their team does not receive the same funding as male sides, while nine in ten coaches (90%) believe they could offer far more opportunities to girls if the money were there. The research highlights the personal cost of the shortfall, with girls and women spending an average of £212 of their own, or their parents', money over the past year on essentials such as kit and equipment, transport to games and training, and medical treatment or physio.
Many girls are simply going without. A quarter (25%) have missed training or matches because their team could not afford access to a nearby pitch, and 23% have missed out because of a lack of kit or equipment. This attrition risks undoing the progress set out in the FA's 2024-28 women's and girls' strategy, which followed a four-year period in which female participation grew by more than 50%.
However, there is encouraging news for clubs. Research has found that three in five (62%) small business leaders would be interested in sponsoring a women's or girls' team, and most recognise the commercial upside. SMEs believe grassroots sponsorship costs 35% more than it actually does, estimating £1,144.50 against a real average of £845.
A leading financial institution has launched a campaign to close the gap between perception and reality. The bank will matchmake 2,000 business sponsors with grassroots teams in their area and subsidise the cost of kit sponsorship, with each sponsor's name featuring on the front of the team's shirts. To support the initiative, the bank has produced a free Sponsorship Guide and Sponsorship Proposal Template to help clubs secure backing themselves.
Coaches and players are calling on local businesses to get involved. "We have built so much momentum in the women's game, but years of progress will quickly unravel if grassroots teams can't access more financial support," said a leading player. "Sponsorship unlocks everything from kit, equipment and transport, to access to suitable pitches, something I experienced first-hand earlier in my career."
A local entrepreneur and former player added: "Times are tough for girls' grassroots teams right now, as well as for SMEs. It's amazing to hear how many small businesses want to sponsor the teams that desperately need it, and how many recognise the broader benefits of sponsorship too."
The wider stakes are clear: Sport England's Active Lives research has consistently shown that girls remain less active than boys, and grassroots football is one of the most effective routes to closing that gap. A leading advocate for women's football said: "Our Kick On campaign has uncovered the issues that still remain in the women's game, from body image issues and low self-esteem to unequal pitch access and a lack of female coach role models. We want to help clubs address their funding difficulties through partnerships with local businesses that will hopefully stand the test of time."
UK amateur women's and girls' teams, and local businesses, can apply for funding via a dedicated page before applications close at 11:59pm on 17 July 2026.
