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.”