MANCHESTER, United
Kingdom —
England will play host to the women's European Championship
over the next month with record crowds raising hopes the tournament will take
the female game's rising profile to an even higher level.
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Nearly half a million
tickets have been sold to fans in 100 countries, including sell-outs for the
opening game at Old Trafford when England face Austria on Wednesday and the
final at Wembley on July 31.
Initially scheduled for 2021,
UEFA moved the tournament back a year after the men's Euro 2020 had to be
delayed 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As governing bodies
scrambled to restart the men's competitions as soon as possible to secure
lucrative broadcast income, even the elite end of the women's game was treated
as somewhat of an afterthought.
But aided by a rare space
in the men's football calendar due to the later start to the 2022
World Cup in Qatar, the stars of the European game on the women's side have the chance to
take center stage.
The five years since the
last women's Euro, won by the Netherlands on home soil, have been
transformative for the sport.
Money has flowed in from
new sponsors, television rights deals and major clubs now prepared to spend big
on improving the standards of their women's teams.
That investment is
expected to be reflected at international level in the most competitive women's
Euro to date, with half of the 16 teams regarded as realistic contenders.
"The top of the
pyramid became a bit wider," UEFA's head of women's football Nadine
Kessler told AFP.
"It's good that so
many contenders, so many teams, have even declared ambitions publicly that they
all want to go for it."
Spain favorites
After losing three
consecutive semi-finals, England have to handle the weight of expectation to
win a first major tournament on home soil.
The Lionesses have
Euro-winning experience on their side, though, in the form of manager Sarina
Wiegman, who led the Dutch to the title in 2017.
"I think we are in a
very good place," said Wiegman, who is unbeaten in 14 games as England
boss since taking charge in September.
Norway are expected to
post the biggest threat to England in Group A, with former Ballon d'Or winner
Ada Hegerberg back after a self-imposed five-year exile from international
football.
Spain are the
pre-tournament favorites as they boast the backbone of talent that has turned
Barcelona into a dominant force of the club game, including reigning Ballon
d'Or winner Alexia Putellas.
But La Roja will have to
get out of the group of death also featuring eight-time winners Germany and
2017 finalists Denmark.
The clash between holders
the Netherlands and Olympic silver medallists Sweden in Group C is another
highlight of the group stage.
"This summer is
probably one of the biggest chances to put women's football on the map,"
said Netherlands and Arsenal star Vivianne Miedema.
France, Italy,
Belgium,
and Iceland make up what appears the most balanced section in Group D.
'Times are
changing'
However, the selection of
the 4,400 capacity Manchester City Academy Stadium for three matches in that
group was lambasted as "embarrassing" and "disrespectful"
by Iceland midfielder Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir.
The 7,800-capacity Leigh
Sports Village will also host four matches, including a quarter-final.
But organizers have
defended their choice of venues with Brighton, Brentford, Milton Keynes,
Rotherham, Sheffield and Southampton the other hosts.
"We think we've got
the balance about right," said the
English Football Association's director
of women's football, Sue Campbell.
The opening game will
break the 41,000 attendance record for a game at the women's Euro by over
30,000, with a near 90,000 crowd for the final.
"The times are
changing and we are really excited for all that visibility of all the kids
seeing women's sport," said England's all-time record goal scorer Ellen
White. "Hopefully we can inspire them."
After being shunted into
the shadows for too long, Europe's best female players will again have a stage
on which to shine.
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