68-589: Manchester United Women Football Club is a professional football club based in Leigh , Greater Manchester , England, that competes in the Women's Super League (WSL), the top tier of English women's football , after gaining promotion from the Championship at the end of the 2018–19 season . Ratified in 1921, the ban by The Football Association prohibiting women's football from being played at any of its clubs
136-838: A Paralympic event. The CONCACAF W Championship is a women's football competition organized by CONCACAF that often serves as the qualifying competition to the Women's World Cup and the Olympics. The CONCACAF W Gold Cup had its inaugural edition in 2024 . It featured 12 national teams (8 from the CONCACAF region, and 4 invited from the CONMEBOL region) and was won by the United States . European women's tournaments featuring national teams were held in Italy in 1969 and in 1979 as
204-607: A 5–0 win against the same opposition. They clinched the FA Women's Championship title three days later following a 7–0 win at home to Crystal Palace . In May 2019, Manchester United were named FA Women's Championship Club of the Year at the 2019 FA Women's Football Awards. The 2019–20 season was the team's maiden FA WSL campaign. The season opener was a Manchester derby , held at the City of Manchester Stadium . Manchester City won
272-754: A 5–1 scoreline. The 1939 competition was a more organised affair and the Edinburgh City Girls beat Dick, Kerr 5–2 in Edinburgh , following this up with a 7–1 demolition of Glasgow Ladies in Falkirk to take the title. The English Women's FA was formed in 1969 as a result of the increased interest generated by the 1966 World Cup . The ban in England was maintained by the FA for nearly fifty years, until January 1970. The next year, UEFA recommended that
340-467: A backup venue, during the teams early years, when Leigh Sports Village is unavailable. Ewen Fields has also been used as a contingency plan, hosting United's FA Cup fifth round match against London Bees in February 2019. In March 2021, it was announced that the women's team would play their first ever game at Old Trafford later that month against West Ham United . In March 2022, the team played for
408-421: A blow to the game that a great club like Manchester United will no longer be doing this. —Ray Kiddell, FA vice-chairman, 2005 In 2001, the team formed an official partnership with Manchester United. However, the club began to stagnate with a string of successive mid-table finishes in the third division. The team were disbanded four years later, in 2005, shortly after Malcolm Glazer 's completed takeover with
476-647: A charity team that played fundraising matches and played its first game in October 1977. In 1979, the team joined the Three Counties League under the auspices of the Women's Football Association and started playing competitively. With the league covering a large area, United's committee campaigned for a local league and in 1982 the Women's FA approved the creation of the Manchester & District League, of which Manchester United Supporters Club Ladies
544-661: A final total attendance of 312,199. The first known World Cup tournaments for women's teams are the 1970 Women's World Cup in Italy and the 1971 Women's World Cup in Mexico, both of which hold attendance records and were organised by the international women's association FIEFF . Some other major tournaments were the Women's World Invitational Tournament in Taiwan (1978–1987) and the Women's Mundialito in Japan and Italy (1981–1988). FIFA effectively ignored women's football prior to
612-418: A month later. The team's first game back was on 19 August 2018, where they won 1–0 in an away game against Liverpool in the FA Women's League Cup , with Lizzie Arnot scoring their first competitive goal in thirteen years. Three weeks later, their opening Championship encounter ended in a 12–0 victory away to Aston Villa . On 17 April 2019, United secured promotion to the FA Women's Super League following
680-416: A penalty shoot-out and winning its fourth title in the competition. While a number of features continue to improve, this is not the case for female coaches. They continue to be under-represented in a number of European women's leagues. However, the popularity and participation in women's football continues to grow. In 2022, FC Barcelona had the two largest reported attendances for women's football since
748-416: A senior team, a reserve team and several other teams of younger age groups under a Regional Talent Club FA license. Aston Villa Women Football Club was formed in 1973 as Solihull FC . When Aston Villa asked for help in forming a ladies team in 1989, Solihull responded. The club agreed to change their name in 1996 to become the officially recognised ladies team of Aston Villa. As Villa Aztecs, they reached
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#1732790215507816-558: A senior women's team for many years, Manchester United have continued to run a girls regional talent club up to under-16 level in accordance with FA regulations. The club's partner charity, The Manchester United Foundation, also works in coaching girls at all ages across the Greater Manchester region. Ahead of the 2019–20 season, Manchester United entered a full-time U21 team into the FA WSL Academy League for
884-497: Is a competition for women's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). India won the first 5 editions, beating Nepal four times and Bangladesh once in the final. Bangladesh is the current champion having defeated Nepal by 3–1 goals on 19 September 2022 in the final. The OFC Women's Nations Cup is a women's football tournament for national teams who belong to
952-465: Is a list of academy players who have made senior team appearances. Bold indicates the player is still at the club. Women%27s association football Women's association football , more commonly known as women's football or women's soccer , is the team sport of association football played by women . It is played at the professional level in multiple countries , and 187 national teams participate internationally . The same rules, known as
1020-491: Is an international women's football competition held every two years and sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It was first contested in 1991, but was not held biennially until 1998. Nigeria is the most successful nation in the tournament's history with 11 titles. The CAF Women's Champions League is an international competition that involves the top women's club teams from countries affiliated with
1088-563: Is with Paris Saint-Germain , with matches between the two teams sometimes referred as the "Classique féminin". Paris is OL's main contender for national titles, as they finished in second place of D1 Féminine seven times. Lyon had never lost the D1 title to PSG until 2021 when PSG finished ahead of Lyon, and won five Coupe de France finals against Paris. In 2017 both teams reached the Champions League final, with Lyon beating Paris after
1156-532: The 1970 Women's World Cup in Italy, supported by the Martini & Rossi strong wine manufacturers, and entirely without the involvement of FIFA . This event was at least partly played by clubs and won by Denmark. A second edition, the 1971 Women's World Cup , was hosted by Mexico the following year. The final, also won by Denmark, was played at Estadio Azteca , the largest stadium in North America at
1224-590: The 1971 Women's World Cup final between Mexico and Denmark (110,000) at the Azteca Stadium , when they played Real Madrid (91,553) and Wolfsburg (91,648) at Camp Nou for the 2021–22 UEFA Women's Champions League . In April 2024, the 2023–24 A-League Women season set the record for the most attended season of any women's sport in Australian history, with the season recording a total attendance of 284,551 on 15 April 2024, and finishing with
1292-467: The 1999 final on penalties against China (with a competition-record crowd of over 90,000 in Pasadena ). Germany won consecutive world titles in 2003 and 2007, winning finals against Sweden and Brazil respectively. Japan became champions in 2011 , the country's first senior football world championship. The United States won the tournament again in 2015 and 2019 . Spain won the tournament for
1360-655: The Laws of the Game , are used for both women's and men's football. After the "first golden age" of women's football occurred in the United Kingdom in the 1920s, with one match attracting over 50,000 spectators, The Football Association instituted a ban from 1921 to 1970 in England that disallowed women's football on the grounds used by its member clubs. In many other nations, female footballers faced similarly hostile treatment and bans by male-dominated organisations. In
1428-777: The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was launched with initial support from the soccer federations of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In 2017, Liga MX Femenil was launched in Mexico and broke several attendance records. The league is composed of women's teams of the men's counterpart teams in Liga MX . On 20 March 2024, the league in collaboration with the NWSL , announced a new international competition named Summer Cup . This competition will feature six teams from Liga MX Femenil that will compete against teams from
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#17327902155071496-692: The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). The competition has served as a qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women's World Cup since 1991. After the lifting of the FA ban, the Women's Football Association held its first national knockout tournament , the 1970–71 WFA Cup . Southampton Women's F.C. was the inaugural winner and became the Cup-winner eight times. From 1983 to 1994, Doncaster Belles reached ten out of eleven finals, winning six of them. As of 2023, Chelsea are
1564-520: The UEFA Women's Championship was then dominated by Germany , who won eight titles, including six in a row from 1995 to 2013. The only other teams to win, as of 2022, are Norway in 1993 , the Netherlands at home in 2017 , and England at home in 2022 . The UEFA Women's Champions League is an international competition that involves the top women's club teams from countries affiliated with
1632-463: The Women's Championship . On 4 July 2019, the team was renamed Aston Villa Women F.C., CEO Christian Purslow , said that the name "aligns more appropriately with women’s football in this country". On the same day, Chief Commercial Officer, Nicola Ibbetson, was elected to the FA WSL and Women's Championship board - making Aston Villa Women one of only two Championship clubs to have a representative on
1700-608: The 1970s, international women's football tournaments were extremely popular, and the oldest surviving continental championship was founded, the AFC Women's Asian Cup . However, a woman did not speak at the FIFA Congress until 1986 ( Ellen Wille ). The FIFA Women's World Cup was first held in China in 1991 and has since become a major television event in many countries. Women may have been playing football for as long as
1768-535: The 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in China. FIFA's first officially-recognised women's international match is France–Netherlands (1971), albeit a retroactive recognition decided in 2003 . The first FIFA Women's World Cup was held in China in November 1991 and won by the United States . The runners-up, Norway , became the 1995 champions, beating Germany in that final, in Sweden. The United States won
1836-452: The 1995 League Cup Final but lost 2–0 to Wimbledon, and played in the 1995–96 FA Women's Premier League but were relegated. The senior team, renamed to Aston Villa Ladies F.C. , continued to play mainly in the 2nd-tier Northern Division . The club won promotion twice more and played in the FA Women's Premier League National Division in 1999–2000 and in 2003–04 , but ended in the relegation zone in both seasons. The Lady Villans won
1904-706: The African governing body CAF . The AFC Women's Asian Cup is a quadrennial competition in women's football for national teams which belong to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is the oldest women's international football competition and premier women's football competition in the AFC region for national teams. The SAFF Women's Championship , also called the South Asian Football Federation Women's Cup ,
1972-549: The European Competition for Women's Football . They were not recognized as "official" by UEFA, which opposed women's football until the 1970s. The UEFA championship began in 1984 under the name European Competition For Representative Women's Teams . Now, it is also commonly referred to as the UEFA Women's Euro. The 1984 tournament was won by Sweden . Norway won the 1987 edition. Between 1987 and 2013,
2040-611: The European governing body UEFA . The Copa América Femenina is the main competition in women's football between national teams that are affiliated with CONMEBOL . The Copa Libertadores Femenina , formally the CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina , is the international club competition for women's teams that play in the CONMEBOL region. The competition started in 2009 in response to the increased interest in women's football. The Women's Africa Cup of Nations
2108-422: The FA stating that "the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. Dick, Kerr Ladies player Alice Barlow said, "we could only put it down to jealousy. We were more popular than
Manchester United W.F.C. - Misplaced Pages Continue
2176-583: The NWSL. The inaugural edition is scheduled to kick-off in July 2024. A 2014 FIFA report stated that at the beginning of the 21st century, women's football was growing in both popularity and participation, and more professional leagues were being launched worldwide. From the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup tournament held in 1991 to the 1,194,221 tickets sold for the 1999 Women's World Cup , visibility and support of women's professional football had increased around
2244-596: The Northern Division for the fourth time in 2011 and gained promotion to the WPL National Division, which had become the 2nd tier below the FA WSL . On 5 May 2013, the club had its greatest achievement by winning its first ever trophy, the Women's Premier League Cup, beating Leeds United Ladies 5–4 on penalties. In 2014 they were one of ten teams who were elected to WSL2 , and in 2018 to
2312-483: The Women's National Football League. The Indian Women's League was launched in 2016. The country has held the top-tier tournament, Indian Women's Football Championship , since 1991. In 1985, the United States women's national soccer team was formed. Following the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup , the first professional women's soccer league in the United States, the WUSA , was launched and lasted three years. The league
2380-747: The board. In 2019–20 , Villa won promotion to the WSL and entered the top flight of women's football for the first time since 2004. For the 2022-23 Women's Super League season the women played four of their eleven home matches at Villa Park , where the men's team play. For the 2024-2025 season, the club announced they would play all home League fixtures at Villa Park. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. The club also run several other teams under
2448-492: The club's acceptance into the 2018–19 FA Women's Championship, it was revealed that the women's team would be based in Broughton, Salford at The Cliff training ground; subject to completion of redevelopment work. United were to play their fixtures at Leigh Sports Village until this was completed, however the stadium has become the club's official home ground as the return to The Cliff never materialised. Moss Lane served as
2516-570: The club's successful application to join the newly-formed 2018–19 FA Women's Championship . It marked the club's return to women's football after a thirteen-year absence; though the club's academy continued via the Manchester United Foundation, with the likes of Izzy Christiansen and Katie Zelem being produced by United's Centre of Excellence academy. Casey Stoney was appointed as the club's first head coach on 8 June, with their inaugural 21-player squad announced just over
2584-509: The first competition in the spring of 1922. The winners were Stoke Ladies who beat Doncaster and Bentley Ladies 3–1 on 24 June 1922. In 1937, the Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. , who had lost to Scotland's Rutherglen Ladies in 1923 but continued to be proclaimed as "world champions", played the Edinburgh City Girls in the "Championship of Great Britain and the World". Dick, Kerr won the competition with
2652-541: The first game played at Everton's new Walton Hall Park stadium. In the FA Cup , Manchester United lost 3–2 to Manchester City in the fourth round, the first time they had lost in the first knockout round of a competition. However, they repeated their best League Cup finish by reaching the semi-finals for the second consecutive year, losing 1–0 to eventual cup winners Chelsea . Manchester United Women played their first game at Old Trafford , against West Ham United , during
2720-427: The first recorded "national" women's football event, known as the "Kartini Cup", took place in 1981. The competition was held on an amateur level. Later competitions were also held in an amateur and semi-professional level, including the 1982 appearance of the first women's league, Galanita. The Pertiwi Cup , which drew contestants from throughout all of Indonesia, was first played in 2006. The first professional league
2788-444: The first round proper getting more than the women's winners. Aston Villa L.F.C. Aston Villa Women Football Club is the women's football team of Aston Villa , currently playing in the Women's Super League . The club has been in existence since 1973. Originally titled Solihull F.C. , the team affiliated to Aston Villa in 1989, becoming Villa Aztecs , and became the official Aston Villa women's side in 1996. The club have
Manchester United W.F.C. - Misplaced Pages Continue
2856-521: The first time in 2023 . Since Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament , a Women's Football Tournament has been staged at the Olympic Games . Unlike in the men's Olympic Football tournament (based on teams of mostly under-23 players), the Olympic women's teams do not have restrictions on professionalism or age. The participation of Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic tournament
2924-541: The first time, managed by Charlotte Healy. The club's development team had contested the WSL Academy Cup final against Arsenal the previous season. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Under-21 Team Under-16 Team The following
2992-492: The first women's international matches against a French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events (one match saw a 53,000 strong crowd), women's football in England was halted in December 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches,
3060-516: The game has existed. Evidence shows that a similar game ( cuju , also known as tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . Annual matches being played in Midlothian , Scotland, are reported as early as the 1790s. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardized rules to prohibit violence on
3128-509: The globe. However, as in some other sports, women's pay and opportunities are lower in comparison with professional male football players. Both national and international women's football have far less television and media coverage than the men's equivalent, but also generally have far lower average attendances. This discrepancy is on-going, while research indicates some viewers are not even able to distinguish between professional women's and men's football. Olympique Lyonnais main rivalry
3196-459: The match 1–0 in front of a then league record attendance of 31,213. United's first top-flight campaign was ended prematurely after the season was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic with the team awarded fourth place on a points per game basis. The last game was a 3–2 victory over Everton on 23 February 2020, with Leah Galton scoring twice and Ella Toone scoring once for Manchester United in
3264-566: The men and our bigger gates were for charity". Despite the ban, some women's teams continued to play. The Northern Rugby Union did not follow the FA ban, so the short-lived English Ladies Football Association (1921–1922) played some of its matches at rugby grounds. In other countries, women's football was further debilitated by nationwide bans which often resembled the English FA's measures. The German Football Association banned women's football from 1955 until 1970. Women's football
3332-459: The men's March 2021 international break. Manchester United won the game 2–0. On 12 May 2021, Manchester United announced that Casey Stoney would stand down from her role as head coach at the end of the season. On 29 July 2021, Marc Skinner was announced as the new head coach on a two-year contract, with the option for a further year. Skinner confirmed in March 2023 that the 12-month extension option
3400-637: The national associations in each country should manage the women's game. In 2002, Lily Parr of Dick Kerr's Ladies was the first woman to be inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. She was later honoured with a statue in front of the museum. It was not until 2008 (87 years later), that the FA issued an apology for banning women from the game of football. In 1970, the Torino-based Federation of Independent European Female Football (FIEFF) ran
3468-405: The new regime deeming the women's team to not be part of the "core business" and unprofitable. A media spokesman for Manchester United also claimed the club wanted to focus on its women's academy instead of its senior team. In March 2018, Manchester United announced their intentions to reintroduce a women's football team. Manchester United Women Football Club were founded on 28 May 2018, following
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#17327902155073536-424: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match of an international character took place in 1881 at Hibernian Park in Edinburgh , part of a tour by Scotland and England teams. The Scottish Football Association recorded a women's match in 1892. The British Ladies' Football Club was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. Honeyball and those like her paved
3604-416: The second qualifying round and earned a 1–1 draw at home before a 3–1 defeat in the second leg ended the debut European campaign. On 12 May 2024, United defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4–0 in the 2024 Women's FA Cup final to win their first major title. For the 2024–25 season the club will play three games at Old Trafford , an increase from two which they had played in the previous two seasons. Following
3672-506: The second time at Old Trafford and the first with fans present, beating Everton 3–1 in front of a club record 20,241 fans. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Information correct as of 24 November 2024. Only competitive matches are counted. Despite not having
3740-448: The team was allowed to use the name Manchester United Ladies FC, matches were advertised in the club's programme and the team was allowed to train at The Cliff . The team became increasingly competitive throughout the 1990s at various levels of the FA Women's National League up until 2001. It's very disappointing. The progress of women's football can be really helped by professional clubs taking women's teams under their umbrella and it's
3808-470: The time of the First World War , female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men fifty years earlier. A team from England played a team from Ireland on Boxing Day 1917 in front of a crowd of 20,000 spectators. The Irish side of this match was dramatised in the play Rough Girls in 2021. Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England played in one of
3876-510: The time, in front of crowds estimated at 110,000 or 112,500 attendees. During the 1970s, Italy became the first country to have professional women's football players on a part-time basis. Italy was also the first country to import foreign footballers from other European countries, which raised the profile of the league. Players during that era included Susanne Augustesen (Denmark), Rose Reilly and Edna Neillis (Scotland), Anne O'Brien (Ireland) and Concepcion Sánchez Freire (Spain). Sweden
3944-482: The title holders and Arsenal are the club with a record 14 wins. Despite tournament sponsorship by some companies, entering the cup actually costs clubs more than they get in prize money. In 2015, it was reported that even if Notts County were to win the tournament, the £8,600 winnings would leave them out of pocket. The winners of the Men's FA Cup in the same year received £1.8 million, with teams that did not even reach
4012-490: The way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations, and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. In August 1917, a tournament was launched for female munition workers' teams in north-east England. Officially titled the "Tyne Wear & Tees Alfred Wood Munition Girls Cup", it
4080-420: Was a bone of contention because England and other British Home Nations are not eligible to compete as separate entities. Eventually, both the women's and men's Great Britain teams fielded some players from the other home nations, but without their associations' active support. Although there are women's teams of blind football (5-a-side) and cerebral palsy football (7-a-side), women's football has never been
4148-488: Was a founding member and won the first three seasons. In 1989, the combined Manchester & Merseyside League, North West Women's League, and the Three Counties League merged to form the North West Women's Regional Football League . The league was spread across four divisions and included 42 teams. At the same time, the team approached Manchester United F.C. for support and more formal backing. The club agreed and
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#17327902155074216-607: Was also banned in France from 1941 to 1970. In Brazil, the Vargas regime and the military dictatorship legally prohibited women and girls from playing football from 1941 to 1979. Following the FA ban on women's teams on 5 December 1921, the English Ladies' Football Association was formed, with 58 affiliated clubs. A silver cup was donated by the first president of the association, Len Bridgett. A total of 23 teams entered
4284-563: Was also known as "The Munitionettes' Cup". The first winners of the trophy were Blyth Spartans , who defeated Bolckow Vaughan 5–0 in a replayed final tie at Middlesbrough on 18 May 1918 in front of a crowd of 22,000. The tournament ran for a second year in season 1918–19, the winners being the ladies of Palmer's shipyard in Jarrow , who defeated Christopher Brown's of Hartlepool 1–0 at St James' Park in Newcastle on 22 March 1919. At
4352-443: Was formally lifted in 1971. An unofficial team called United Ladies of Manchester was formed circa 1970 by a group of Stretford Enders . They trained at the club's training ground, The Cliff , and arranged matches against other clubs' unofficial women's teams. Manchester United Supporters Club Ladies began operations in the late 1970s and was unofficially recognised as the club's senior women's team. In their earliest form they were
4420-524: Was held in 2019 under the name Liga 1 Putri . In Australia, the W-League, now known as A-League Women , was formed in 2008. In 2015, the Chinese Women's Super League (CWSL) was launched with an affiliated second division, CWFL. Previously, The Chinese Women's Premier Football League was initiated in 1997 and evolved to the Women's Super League in 2004. From 2011 to 2014, the league was named
4488-485: Was spearheaded by members of the World Cup-winning American team and featured players like Mia Hamm , Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain , as well as top-tier international players like Germany's Birgit Prinz and China's Sun Wen . A second attempt towards a sustainable professional league, the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), was launched in 2009 and folded in late 2011. The following year,
4556-653: Was the first to introduce a professional women's domestic league in 1988, the Damallsvenskan . In 1989, Japan became the first country to have a semi-professional women's football league, the L. League – still in existence today as Division 1 of the Nadeshiko League . In 2020, Japan established the first-ever women's professional league in Asia, the WE League , which started on fall 2021. In Indonesia,
4624-404: Was triggered, keeping him at the club until 2024. Later that season the team reached a major cup final for the first time, losing 1–0 to Chelsea in the 2023 Women's FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium . After finishing as runners-up in the WSL, the team qualified for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time ahead of the 2023–24 season. United were drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in
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