Euro 2025: Wales are ‘doing a lot of catch up’ in women’s football

FAW chief executive Noel Mooney says getting more women and girls playing football is one of the governing body’s main priorities.

“If we provide a lot more opportunities to schools and to the younger age groups I think that number will just go up and up and up,” he said.

“We treat the women’s game like a start-up almost because it hadn’t had the investment historically. Now we’re investing in it very heavily.”

In 2021 the FAW launched its first ever women and girls football strategy, with the aim of doubling participation levels to 20,000 registered girls playing football.

“I think we’re one of the highest spending national associations as a percentage of our turnover,” added Mooney.

“It’s changed, there’s a paradigm shift from where it was when I started my career, maybe 20 years ago.

“But what we need to do is keep supporting the grassroots game to grow as well.

“So it’s making sure we’ve got all the things in place to make sure that this growth that we see doesn’t plateau.”

Wales face the Netherlands in their first group game at Euro 2025 in Lucerne on 5 July before then playing France and England in Saint Gallen.

Episode one of Iconic: The Rise of the Women in Red will be broadcast on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Sounds at 6.30pm on Monday, 16 June.