The biggest ever Women’s World Cup kicks off on Thursday in Australia and New Zealand for what promises to be a month of highly competitive football. The US once again begin the tournament as favourites and there will be considerable expectation on England as European champions. However, England arrive in Australia depleted by injuries to star players such as Leah Williamson and Beth Mead.
As the former England player Karen Carney tells Hannah Moore, the tournament will once again provide a springboard for the women’s game and an opportunity to grow that it cannot afford to miss. Carney has recently released a government-commissioned review of the women’s game in England. She says she is shocked at some of the poor facilities women have to use, as well as misogynistic attitudes she had hoped were a thing of the past in the sport.
Her recommendations call for minimum standards at a professional level as well as for the sport to be financially sustainable for the long term. All of that means investment is sorely needed, be it from sponsors, the wider professional football world or the government.
Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
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