Football Association of Wales Trust moving the goalposts for girls’ football with Buckley Football Festival

To celebrate the Women’s World Cup, the Football Association of Wales Trust (FAW Trust) are putting on seven FAW Trust Football Festivals across Wales in June and July to provide girls and their families the opportunity to try football.

A festival will take place on 29th June at the home of Buckley Town FC on Globe Way – where clubs and partners attending will be putting on different stations with fun games, challenges and freebies to take home.

There will also be some guest appearances from National players.

Although Wales missed out on a place in the Women’s World Cup, it provides the FAW Trust with an ideal platform to encourage girls in Wales in give the beautiful game a go.

Having just secured a record-breaking win against New Zealand in an International Friendly, Wales will be setting their hopes on qualifying for the Euro 2021 throughout their next campaign which kicks off away to the Faroe Islands on 29 August.

The FAW Trust has set a target of 20,000 females playing football in Wales by 2024; at present there are 6,020 girls registered playing football in clubs across Wales.

Research suggests that girls typically have less confidence than their male counterparts, thus decreasing the chances of them joining a traditional sports club, which is why the FAW Trust are doing more to engage new audiences in varied formats to capture people’s interests.

Amongst women not playing football, the primary barrier to participation is not having had the opportunity to play at school. This highlights the need to increase participation amongst girls at an early age.

Laura O’Sullivan, Wales International Goalkeeper will be attending the Football Festival at Cwmbran on the 29^th. Laura said: “Being considered a role model for younger girls is such an amazing thing, something I wish I had when I was in school. Attending the free Football Festivals is the perfect way for girls to try football, as I had no idea I had a talent for it until I was in college, imagine how good I would be if I started playing from the age of 6!”

Caroline Spanton, Head of Football Development for the FAW Trust, said: “There is a real and genuine excitement around girls and women’s football right now with the biggest Women’s World Cup taking place, we have to capitalise on the profile of this and help generate new audiences to engage in this fantastic and inclusive game.

“These smaller campaigns and free events are a key element of grassroots football, girls want the opportunity to try football, which is something they may not get to do at school.”

Buckley FAW Trust Football Festival, 29th June 10:00 – 14:00 – The Globe CH7 3LY.