SATURDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2024
Leicester City v Birmingham City at 12:00 on FA Player

SATURDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2024
Tottenham Hotspur v Charlton Athletic at 17:15 on FA Player and the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Twitter/X, Facebook and TikTok

SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2024
Arsenal v Manchester City at 12:30 on BBC Two

SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2024
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton & Hove Albion at 13:00 on FA Player

SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2024
Chelsea v Crystal Palace at 14:00 on FA Player and the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Twitter/X, Facebook and TikTok

SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2024
London City Lionesses v Liverpool at 14:00 on FA Player

SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2024
Southampton v Manchester United at 14:00 on FA Player

SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2024
Nottingham Forest v Everton at 16:00 on FA Player

*All kick-off times are GMT

Thanks to the FA

Ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicking off next month, England Football and Disney have today unveiled a new animated short film, Ella: A Modern Day Fairytale. The animation shines a light on Disney Inspired Shooting Stars – a programme for primary school aged girls, supporting them to develop fundamental movement skills and introducing them to football through Disney storytelling.

The film is a modern re-telling of Disney’s Cinderella story, and is narrated by Lioness legend and broadcaster, Alex Scott. It tells the story of Ella, a primary school girl who follows her passion to play football, overcoming barriers along the way. She receives help from her ‘three Lioness Godmothers’, Leah Williamson, Lucy Bronze and Lauren James, who have all been animated as Disney-inspired characters for the film.

The animation will be made into printed books which will be distributed for free to primary schools up and down the country from September. The ambition is to get Ella’s tale of positivity and triumph into the hands of as many children as possible and to encourage more schools to bring the Disney Inspired Shooting Stars programme to their playground.

The programme supports girls aged 5-11 nationwide to develop fundamental movement, listening and speaking skills through the magic of Disney storytelling, in partnership with England Football. Using the magic of Disney storytelling from films such as The Incredibles 2, Frozen 2, Toy Story 4, Aladdin and Guardians of the Galaxy, Disney Inspired Shooting Stars enables teachers to bring the magic of Disney to the playground.

The FA’s Head of Development, Louise Gear, said: “As a mum, I’m really excited that we’re able to work with our partner Disney on bringing to life a much-loved classic film in Ella: A Modern Day Fairytale. Football is a game for all and Disney Inspired Shooting Stars aims to provide opportunities for girls in schools up and down the country to play the game they love from an early age. Ella: A Modern Day Fairytale highlights the barriers that many girls face when trying to play football, and ahead of a huge summer for women’s and girls’ football, we hope this not only inspires more girls to have the courage to play, but changes perceptions in the playground.”

Nicole Morse, VP of Brand and Franchise Marketing, Disney EMEA said: “Disney is so proud of the Shooting Stars programme. To see our characters having a real impact and being a force for good to help young girls begin a love of football, as well as get active and develop the confidence that Shooting Stars gives, is wonderful. The programme has been a great success, and this brilliant new take on a Disney classic in inspiring Ella: A Modern Day Fairytale will help spread the word of Shooting Stars meaning even more girls will benefit from it.”

Since launching in 2019, the Disney Inspired Shooting Stars has seen over 70,000 girls take part, which is live in over 3,600 schools across the UK. Recently, a new e-learning training platform has launched, meaning that all 16,000 English primary schools now have access to the assets provided by the programme.

With thanks to the FA

Manchester City v West Ham United

• West Ham’s biggest ever WSL loss came at the hands of Manchester City, a 7-1 defeat in October 2018.
• Last time out against Arsenal, Manchester City suffered their first Barclays FA Women’s Super League defeat of the season, falling to a 0-1 defeat against the Gunners. Indeed, each of the Citizens last three losses in the competition have come against Arsenal.
• West Ham have only lost one of their last five away games in the WSL (W3 D1), a 1-2 defeat on the opening day of the season back in September.
• Manchester City’s Janine Beckie has had the joint-most shots in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League without scoring this season (13 – alongside Brighton’s Lea Le Garrec).
• Four of West Ham’s six league goals this season have either been scored by Martha Thomas (2) or Adriana Leon (2), with Kenza Dali and Alisha Lehmann also netting for the club in the top-flight this season.

Brighton and Hove Albion v Birmingham City

• Both Brighton and Birmingham won their respective home match against the other in the WSL last season, with the Seagull’s losing 0-1 at the Automated Technology Group Stadium, before the Blues suffered a 1-2 defeat at the People’s Pension Stadium back in February.
• Birmingham are looking to avoid losing three consecutive away games in the top-flight for the first time since January 2018, when they did so under manager Marc Skinner.
• Brighton are one of three winless sides within the Barclays FA Women’s Super League so far this season (alongside Bristol and Liverpool).
• Matches within the Barclays FA Women’s Super League so far this season involving Birmingham have produced the fewest goals, with the Blues registering just two goals, and conceding five.
• Brighton have made 10 changes to their starting XI in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League matches so far this season, the joint-most in the competition alongside Arsenal.

Chelsea v Manchester United

• This will be the first meeting in any competition between Chelsea and Manchester United.
• Against sides they are facing in the WSL for the very first time, Chelsea have won each of their last five such contests by an aggregate score of 14-0.
• Manchester United have now won each of their last three Barclays FA Women’s Super League matches without conceding a goal; the only newly-promoted side to win four straight matches in the competition are Sunderland, who did so between May and July 2015.
• Chelsea currently sit top of the table with 13 points from their five matches so far (W4 D1); their joint-best return at this stage alongside 13 points in 2017-18 and 2015 – the last two campaigns in which they went on to win the title.
• No two players in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League so far this season have combined for more chances created for one another than Chelsea duo Beth England and Guro Reiten (7).
• Manchester United’s Lauren James has completed more dribbles than any other player so far in Barclays FA Women’s Super League this season (16 – 70% of her 23 attempted).

Reading v Bristol City

• Reading have won each of their previous five WSL matches against Bristol City, against no other side have they got a better 100% winning ratio in the competition.
• Since they scored in a 1-3 defeat the first time they faced Reading in an WSL match, Bristol City haven’t scored in any of the last four meetings, whilst shipping 13 goals themselves against the Royals.
• At home, Reading haven’t drawn any of their last seven matches in the WSL, losing five and winning two. However, they are looking for back-to-back wins on home soil for the first time since November 2018.
• Bristol City are now winless in eight WSL matches (D2 L6), their worst such run in the competition since an 11-game streak between October 2014 and July 2015.
• No player has had a direct hand in more of their teams Barclays FA Women’s Super League goals so far in 2019-20 than Reading’s Fara Williams, who has either scored (1) or assisted (3) each of her side’s four league goals so far.
• Bristol City have dropped the most points from winning positions so far in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League this season (5).

Liverpool v Everton

• This will be the 13^th Merseyside derby in the Women’s Super League, with Liverpool slightly edging the previous 12 contests with five wins to Everton’s four (D3).
• Everton have only managed to win one of their previous six WSL matches away from home against Liverpool (D2 L3), a 2-1 win back in August 2012 under manager Mo Marely.
• Liverpool have lost four of their opening five Women’s Super League matches for the second time, having also done so in 2012 – a season in which they went on to finish bottom.
• Everton have won three of their last five Women’s Super League matches (L2), as many victories as they recorded across their previous 22 matches in the competition (D3 L16).
• Only Fara Williams (43.2%) has had a direct hand in more of her team’s total shots in Barclays FA Women’s Super League matches this season than Liverpool’s Melissa Lawley (40.4%), who has either taken (8) or created (11) 19 of her team’s 47 shots so far this season. Indeed, she is also the only Liverpool player to net in the competition so far.
• Chloe Kelly has scored four of Everton’s last six goals in the WSL – indeed, she is already having her best ever goalscoring campaign in the competition (4), surpassing her previous best return of three goals in 2017-18.

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

• This will be the first ever North London derby to be played in the Women’s Super League, and the first meeting between the sides in any competition since March 2017, when Arsenal beat Spurs 10-0 in what was an FA Cup encounter.
• Tottenham have won one and lost one of their previous two London derbies in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League this season, falling to a 0-1 defeat to Chelsea on the opening weekend, before a 2-0 win at West Ham back in September.
• Arsenal, who lost to Chelsea on their last away trip in the WSL, have never before suffered back-to-back defeats on the road in the competition – the only side to date to play in the competition and never suffer this fate (min. two seasons).
• Spurs are yet to draw a Barclays FA Women’s Super League match so far this season, winning three and losing two of their five games so far. They are looking to win back-to-back games for the second time this season, following their 2-1 victory at Bristol City last time out.
• Kit Graham, who netted both of Tottenham’s goals against Bristol City last time out, has created the most chances within the Barclays FA Women’s Super League this season of all players yet to register a single assist (12).
• Arsenal’s Danielle van de Donk boasts the highest shot conversion rate of all players to have taken at least five shots in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League so far this season, scoring with three of her seven shots in the competition (42.9%).

Courtesy of the FA

The new brand identity created by brand studio Nomad unifies the four tiers:

· Tier 1 – The FA Women’s Super League

· Tier 2 – The FA Women’s Championship

· Tier 3 – The FA Women’s National League – Northern Premier Division / Southern Premier Division

· Tier 4 – The FA Women’s National League – Division 1 North, Division 1 Midlands, Division 1 South East, Division 1 South West

The reveal follows a process that started earlier this year and involved a period of consultation with stakeholders in the game including clubs, players and both current and prospective fans. The branding will be visible across all digital and physical facets of the leagues from the start of the season.

Marzena Bogdanowicz, The FA’s Head of Marketing and Commercial, Women’s Football said: “It was really important for us to create a new brand identity that is dynamic, modern and has a broad audience appeal that also unifies the top four tiers of the women’s game. Throughout the process we listened to the feedback we received from players, clubs and supporters and we’re confident we have an identity that will resonate with both the current audience but also to the next generation of fans.”

The 2018/19 season begins on the weekend of the 18 & 19 August with the opening round of group fixtures of The Continental Tyres League Cup. The FA Women’s Super League and The FA Women’s Championship league fixtures commence on the weekend of the 8 & 9 September with The FA Women’s National League kicking off on 19 August (subject to confirmation).

Courtesy of the FA

FA WSL 2

Watford Ladies FC                           1-1         Durham Women FC

Doncaster Rovers Belles                4-1         London Bees

Millwall Lionesses                           0-0         Brighton & Hove Albion

Oxford United Women                   0-0         Aston Villa Ladies FC

Sheffield FC Ladies                          1-2         Everton Ladies FC

FA WPL – Northern Division

Cup

Huddersfield Town Ladies             4 – 0       Sheffield Wednesday Ladies FC

Leicester City Womens                  0 – 1       Lewes FC Ladies

League

Derby County Ladies                       4 – 3       Stoke City Ladies

Fylde Ladies                                      1 – 0       Nottingham Forest Ladies

West Bromwich Albion                   2 – 3       Blackburn Rovers Ladies

FA WPL – Southern Division

Cup

Leicester City Womens                  0 – 1       Lewes FC Ladies

League

C & K Basildon Ladies                     3 – 2       Cardiff City Ladies

Charlton Athletic First                     0 – 1       Tottenham Hotspur Ladies

Portsmouth Football Club              P – P       Queens Park Rangers Ladies

West Ham United Ladies               2 – 2       Swindon Town Ladies

FA WPL Northern Division One

Chorley Ladies                                  1 – 6       Liverpool Marshall Feds Ladies

Crewe Alexandra Ladies FC           0 – 4       Brighouse Town Ladies

Guiseley Vixens Women                 4 – 0       Tranmere Rovers Ladies

Leeds Ladies                                     3 – 5       Chester le Street Town Ladies

Mossley Hill Athletic Ladies           5 – 3       Blackpool Wren Rovers Ladies

FA WPL Midlands Division One

Cup

Wrockwardine Wood Ladies         1 – 2      The New Saints LFC

League

Long Eaton United Ladies              3 – 1       Steel City Wanderers F.C. Ladies

Loughborough Students 2 – 4       Leicester City Ladies

Radcliffe Olympic Ladies P – P       Loughborough Foxes Women

Solihull Ladies                                   0 – 0       Wolverhampton Wanderers Womens

Sporting Khalsa Women                 5 – 1       Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies

FA WPL South East Division One

Cup

Royston Town Ladies                     0 – 4       Stevenage Ladies

League

AFC Wimbledon Ladies                   1 – 0       Milton Keynes Dons FC Ladies

Denham United Ladies                   P – P       Norwich City Ladies

Enfield Town Ladies                        2 – 1       Cambridge United Women

Ipswich Town Ladies F.C.               0 – 1       Luton Town Ladies

Lowestoft Town FC Ladies            0 – 4       Gillingham FC Ladies

FA WPL South West Division One

Basingstoke Town Ladies              P – P       Plymouth Argyle Ladies

Chichester City Ladies                    2 – 1       Larkhall Athletic Ladies

Keynsham Town Ladies                  5 – 2       St Nicholas Ladies

Shanklin Ladies                                 3 – 2       Exeter City Ladies

Southampton Saints                        4 – 2       Maidenhead United FC Ladies

Brighton & Hove Albion        1-1       Oxford United Women

Millwall Lionesses                  1-2       Sheffield FC Ladies

Watford Ladies FC                  2-3       London Bees

FA WPL Northern Division

Cup

Rise Park Ladies FC                 0 – 3     Nottingham Forest Ladies

League

Huddersfield Town Ladies     2 – 2     Stoke City Ladies

Leicester City Womens          2 – 1     Derby County Ladies

West Bromwich Albion          0 – 4     Middlesbrough FC Ladies

FA WPL Southern Division

Cup

Crystal Palace Ladies              1 – 1     Tottenham Hotspur Ladies   (Pen 6-7)

League

Coventry United Ladies         3 – 1     Lewes FC Ladies

Queens Park Rangers Ladies  0 – 6     Charlton Athletic Womens First

Swindon Town Ladies              2 – 2     West Ham United Ladies

FA WPL Northern Division One

Brighouse Town Ladies          3 – 2     Chorley Ladies

Crewe Alexandra Ladies FC   0 – 1     Hull City Ladies First

Leeds Ladies                             P – P     Liverpool Marshall Feds Ladies

Morecambe Ladies                 3 – 0     Blackpool Wren Rovers Ladies

Mossley Hill Athletic Ladies  P – P     Guiseley Vixens Women

Tranmere Rovers Ladies        0 – 2     Chester le Street Town Ladies

FA WPL Midlands Division One

B’ham & West Midlands       4 – 2     Solihull Ladies

Leicester City Ladies               1 – 3     Radcliffe Olympic Ladies

Rotherham United Ladies     0 – 2     Long Eaton United Ladies

Steel City Wanderers F.C.      1 – 3     The New Saints LFC

Wolverhampton Wanderers P – P     Loughborough Foxes Women

FA WPL South East Division One

Cambridge United Women   1 – 1     AFC Wimbledon Ladies

Gillingham FC Ladies              2 – 0     Denham United Ladies

Lowestoft Town FC Ladies     0 – 1     Stevenage Ladies

Luton Town Ladies                 3 – 1     Norwich City Ladies

Milton Keynes Dons FC          1 – 0     Enfield Town Ladies

FA WPL South West Division One

Basingstoke Town Ladies       0 – 5     Chichester City Ladies

Brislington Ladies                   P – P     Cheltenham Town Ladies

Exeter City Ladies                   2 – 5     St Nicholas Ladies

Maidenhead United FC         0 – 1     Larkhall Athletic Ladies

Shanklin Ladies                      2 – 7     Keynsham Town Ladies

Look at that wall – Lucy lines up a free kick!

The England stars were subject to one of their most testing fixtures yet, as a side of girls between the ages of 5 and 14 put a special England Ladies XI through their paces. Starring for the Lionesses was Lucy Bronze, who is capped 29 times for England Ladies and currently plays for Manchester City WFC, alongside goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, her teammate for both club and country.

You can see how they got on here.

As the school girls celebrated playing against their footballing heroes, The FA and SSE announced the launch of the new Participation Programme which is set to massively increase the opportunities for girls around the country to play football.

The programme, which is currently open to WSL1, WSL2 and Women’s Premier League sides, will provide funding for existing football clubs who wish to create girls only coaching sessions and build new competitive playing squads for girls between the ages of 5 and 14. Significantly, the grant system will exclusively support girls only football to help increase girls only football provisions across the country.

No way through! Lucy considers her options.

Describing the occasion, Lucy Bronze stated, ”Lining up against that number of girls is one of the most incredible sights I’ve ever experienced, not only as an England player but throughout my career! As footballers we want to inspire as many people as possible to play football and it was great to meet so many girls who love to play. I’m excited that through this new initiative, more girls around the country will be given the chance to play the game.”

To date, 34 clubs have successfully applied for the programme which will run as a pilot for the remainder of 2016. Applications are still being received and the programme will stay open to all clubs at all levels that are registered with County FA’s until May, with the ambition of engaging even more football teams in the scheme moving into 2017.

From Arsenal in the WSL1 through to Bradford City WFC in the Women’s Premier League, the clubs currently taking part in the scheme stretch across the UK, demonstrating the wide demand for improved girl’s only football provisions.

FA director of football participation and development, Kelly Simmons, said: “This is a fantastic initiative that will really make a difference in girls’ participation numbers. We know that our clubs provide an invaluable route to playing football for so many girls and this initiative will allow them to do even more good work in their communities.

Female football participation is one of our key areas of focus at the FA and this will help to drive participation rates even further.”

Alan Young, SSE Managing Director of Corporate Affairs, said: “Giving so many school girls get the chance to take on their heroes in what turned out to be such a one sided match epitomises the inclusive and fun nature of The SSE Women’s FA Cup.

Everyone at SSE is exceptionally proud to sponsor such an important competition and very excited about how everything is progressing. We’ve started to see the plans we’re making with The FA to grow the women’s game take shape and the Participation Programme is another huge step in ensuring girls have the best possible chance to get involved in the beautiful game – one of the main reasons we entered this partnership.”

To find out more about the work SSE are doing in women’s football, visit: www.SSE.co.uk/girls-united 

Report courtesy of SSE via Synergy

This year the event has been expanded to two weeks, following the success of 2015’s FA Girls’ Football Week, to further drive female participation.

The first week will take place from Monday 25 April and is aimed at encouraging primary and secondary schools along with clubs, community groups and other organisations to run female football sessions.  More than 200 schools have signed up to take part in the week.

The weeks are being delivered in partnership with Independent Schools FA, English Schools FA, Association of Colleges Sport, British Universities and Colleges Sport, the Premier League and the Football League.

Donna McIvor, FA national participation manager, said: “It’s great news that we have exceeded our target already and the week looks set to be a fantastic showcase for girls’ and women’s football participation.

“This is testament to the work that we and our partners have put in to raising awareness of the weeks, its aims and to the staff working at schools, clubs and community groups across the country who will help make the week a big success.

“Though we’ve already hit the target, we’re still encouraging more groups and organisations to put on sessions and give as many girls as possible the opportunity to play football.”

In 2015 more than 16,000 people took part in the event, more than triple the original target.  The second week, 10-16 October, will aim at raising participation at higher and further education establishments.

Football is the largest female team sport in England with more than 2.89 million players.  There are more than 5,900 women’s and girls’ teams playing affiliated club football.

You can find out more about the FA programmes here.