Schoolgirls join women's football stars cheering on England, as research reveals the grassroots impact of FIFA Women's World Cup 2023

• Visa, Worldwide Partner of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, has teamed up with HSBC UK to provide grassroots support to aspiring women footballers - helping them achieve their dreams on and off the pitch.
• 86% of girls say that FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ is inspiring them to follow their dreams, according to Visa’s research, with 87% of children aged 8-16 surveyed agreeing that football is a sport for girls as much as it is boys.
• The Football Fun Day, thanks to Visa, in partnership with HSBC UK, welcomes 120 girls aged 9 to 12 from the Birmingham area to an unforgettable day of football, financial education and fun.
• Each school will have the opportunity to participate in a 12-week football coaching programme with Birmingham City FC, which will culminate in an inter-schools tournament next year.

1^st August 2023, Birmingham: As the nation celebrates the success of England, Visa, Worldwide Partner of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, is teaming up with HSBC UK to provide grassroots sport and financial education support for schoolgirls.

Today, HSBC UK is hosting a ‘Football Fun Day’, thanks to Visa, at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham with Liverpool striker and Team Visa athlete, Megan Campbell. The event saw 120 local schoolgirls participating in skills and drills training with Birmingham City Women’s Football Club, a live football watch-along of England v China at FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, and financial education sessions to help build their financial health.

Coinciding with the event, new research by Visa* reveals that 86% of girls aged 8-16 surveyed say that FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ is inspiring them to follow their own dreams, with 87% of girls and boys aged 8-16 surveyed agreeing that football is a sport for girls as much as it is boys.

Meanwhile, seven in ten (70%) parents surveyed say that the tournament is empowering them to encourage their daughters to take up football, with four in five (80%) being inspired to look for more local sports facilities and clubs for their children. This comes as 76% of parents agree that it’s important that their children participate in team sports, with 84% believing that the skills children learn playing team sports can also be transferred to life off the pitch.

Sport and football can act as a powerful platform for promoting gender equality and play an important role in empowering women and girls, which is why Visa is encouraging engagement at a local level, as part of its longstanding commitment to driving excellence, equality and inclusion for women, on and off the pitch.

Team Visa athlete and Liverpool footballer, Megan Campbell, who is attending the Football Fun Day comments: “As a professional women’s player, I'm humbled by the incredible journey the sport has taken me on. Football has not only shaped me on the pitch, but off the pitch as well, fostering personal growth, teamwork and unwavering determination.

“It’s so rewarding to be involved in this ‘Football Fun Day’, as we increase visibility of sport at a grassroots level, empower the next generation of girls to achieve their dreams, and drive acceptance of football as a gender-equal sport”.

Empowering participation: 12-week coaching programme

With investment in grassroots support being a key recommendation of Karen Carney’s Women’s Football Review, Visa’s partnership with HSBC UK is also extending long-term football coaching access to Birmingham schoolgirls. Each school will have the opportunity to participate in a 12-week football coaching programme with Birmingham City FC, which will culminate in an inter-schools tournament next year.

Guy Martin, Head of Sponsorships Europe at Visa, comments: “At Visa, we have long recognised the immense talent and dedication of women in football and we remain fully committed to supporting the growth of the women’s game.”

“Our research shows that women’s football is having an incredibly positive influence on the aspirations of young girls and, as we all fight to make the sport more equal and inclusive, we will continue to champion initiatives like this that expand access and drive acceptance of women's football in local communities.”

Madhu Kejriwal, Head of Unsecured Lending for HSBC UK, comments: “We’re incredibly excited to team up with Visa on this unforgettable day of football and fun for aspiring women footballers, centred around a love of sport and our ambition to help young people build financial capabilities that will help them now and in the future.”

Visa was the first FIFA Women’s Football partner and became the first standalone sponsor of UEFA Women’s Football in 2018. Visa also supports women players through Team Visa, providing 33 women football players with tools, resources and support to help them thrive. As part of its FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 campaign, Visa is also putting women entrepreneurs centre-stage, highlighting the important role support networks play in supporting them achieve their professional goals.

For more information about Visa’s sponsorship of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ and initiatives helping women to thrive, visit: https://www.visa.co.uk/about-visa/sponsorships-events/fifa-womens-world-cup.html

For more information about HSBC UK’s financial education programmes for young people, including free resources for schools and families, please visit www.hsbc.co.uk/financial-education/

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Visa’s sponsorship

Visa became the first ever UEFA sponsor dedicated to women’s football in 2018, having supported the women’s game for over 15 years. Its sponsorship of FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ is a platform to champion female players and the wider community of supporters to achieve their dreams. Our Team Visa football programme, provides female footballers with the tools, resources and support they need to thrive on and off the pitch. Visa is also sponsoring the Player of the Match Award at the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ which recognises and celebrates individual excellence throughout the tournament.

About the research

Research commissioned by Visa and conducted by Opinium with 2,008 respondents, including 502 8-16 year old girls, 502 8-16 year old boys and 1,004 parents. The research was carried out between 21^th July 2023 and 25^th July 2023. The data was collected using an online survey in the UK.

About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.co.uk