With Euro mania sweeping the nation as England prepare to take on Germany in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 Final, a new survey has revealed over four fifths (83%) of football fans say they would consider buying a football shirt with a women’s player name printed on the back.
The survey, created by football price comparison site FOOTY.COM, reveals a retail boom within the women’s game, with 84% of fans saying they are more likely to buy a women’s football jersey now than compared to the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup. And just over two thirds (67%) of respondents who are parents or guardians also said their children have requested apparel of their favourite players and teams, as they want to emulate their heroes.
With millions of people tuning in for the Lionesses’ games, 91% of football fans say they have noticed an increase in the level of coverage and noise during Euro 2022 compared to other major women’s tournaments.
And the increase in visibility points to a bright future for the women’s game. Although 62% of football fans said Euro 2022 was the first time they had watched women’s football, 91% said they are more likely to watch women’s football again after the Euros.
Sam Patterson, Marketing Director at FOOTY.COM said: “There’s been huge demand from football fans for women’s football jerseys this summer, with many retailers even running low on stock. This just shows that women’s football is having its moment off the pitch, just as much as it is on it. Seeing fans wearing their England jerseys with pride with names like Bronze, Hemp and Mead on the back really signifies a level of retail growth in the game we haven’t seen before. Women’s football isn’t going anywhere, it’s only going to get bigger and this presents a real opportunity for retailers to capitalise.”
As the profiles of the England squad rise, Lucy Bronze tops the list when it comes to the most popular player for fans to get on the back of their shirts, with 11% of respondents opting for the right back. She was closely followed by fellow defender Millie Bright, with 10% of respondents saying they would opt for the Chelsea player.
The retail boom within the women’s game can in part be explained by every nation competing at UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 (except Portugal who were a late entrant to the competition) creating a dedicated women’s football shirt, as 88% of football fans say the availability of women’s specific shirts makes them more likely to purchase one.
England’s all-white home kit with diamond patterning tops the list when it comes to football fans’ favourite Euros home shirt (20%). Austria (15%) and Germany (9%) came in second and third respectively. England’s crimson away kit also topped the list of favourite away shirts (20%), followed by Denmark (9%) and France (9%).
