Girls showcase their skills in Football Festival at Wembley

More than 200 girls from 20 clubs across England got to showcase their skills in the shadow of Wembley Stadium prior to Saturday’s Women’s FA Cup final.

Before Chelsea Ladies’ 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in the showpiece, the FA Girls Football Festival took place at Wembley Powerleague, a five-a-side centre just outside the stadium.

Run jointly by the Football Association, Premier League and the Football League Trust, the festival involved a series of competitive five-a-side matches and an array of football activities.

Brighton and Hove Albion emerged victorious in the tournament, while two players from WSL2 team Oxford United – Katharine Nutman and Lauren Haynes – made personal appearances to inspire the youngsters and answer questions about playing at the top of the game.

There were plenty of competitions and football-based activities – including reaction testing and target shooting – as part of the FA’s ‘We Can Play’ campaign, which aims to encourage more girls into the game by providing a fun day out for clubs, their players and families.

Oxford midfielder Nutman said: “It was a fantastic occasion and a real celebration of how far women’s and girls’ football has come in recent years.”