Women’s football fans, watching European nations in Germany currently compete for supremacy in European football, can’t help but look forward to next summer, when it will be the girls’ turn.
But until then, teams will have to qualify for the competition (the women’s Euros). The women’s Euro qualifiers will take place over the next two weeks, with some teams sealing their spots in the championship set for Switzerland next summer and others securing a spot in the Euro play-offs, where they will compete for the remaining spots.
Lia Walti, who anticipates representing the host nation in the competition, as their captain, asserts that competing at home is a unique and desirable experience. For her part, she hopes it contributes to the women’s game development in Switzerland and boosts their levels, leaving a lasting impression.
“There aren’t many players who get to experience a home tournament during their careers. It’s something really, really special. This is something you dream about as a player,” Walti said of next summer’s Euro finals in Switzerland.
“We’re a little bit behind in Switzerland with women’s football. If you look around Europe and see how many professional leagues now, I do hope the tournament is going to give a big boom for young girls who want to play football. I hope that women’s football is going to be more visible after the tournament.”
The goal is for the Swiss women’s national team to give a decent account of themselves next summer. In 2022, the England Lionesses emerged victorious in the last women’s European Championship, on English soil – and the boost to women’s football in the UK was staggering, with Arsenal Women being the front-runners in growing those attendance numbers. It will be fascinating to see if England retain their title and, if not, who becomes the European women’s champions?
When Australia & New Zealand co-hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the impact on women’s football, throughout the continent was phenomenal too. So there’s no reason why Switzerland won’t get bitten by the women’s football bug too!
What are your thoughts Gooners?