Finding community through football - the growth of female supporter groups

There is something magical about football that has made it the most popular sport in the world. For all the negatives that today are easy to read about, such as overpaid (male) footballers and dubious owners, it’s easy to disengage, but the game’s love never seems to have withered. Today, 10-year-olds are as excited by Jude Bellingham’s skills as the 10-year-olds of 2004 were about Wayne Rooney. There is always someone to adore. But it isn’t an exciting young prospect that has made this sport so loved around the globe. It seems that football has grown and continues to be loved so much because of its ability to break down barriers. From being a simple way to make new friends in a playground as a child to being a way to make new friends when moving to a new city later in life, there’s something about a shared common interest that holds the ability to engage people in ways that our communities are crying out for. There’s a similar ability to connect through watching football and being a fan. Friendships are born from standing on terraces in all forms of weather to support a team, be they Premier League or non-league. For female fans, this hasn’t always been as popular as it is today, but there has been a growing interest in female fans who are interested in watching men’s football. I’ve been lucky enough to attend football matches at Fulham F.C. since I was seven years old with my Dad. It’s made Craven Cottage – the home stadium of my teamfeel as comfortable as my favourite item of clothing; I feel incredibly safe there. My upbringing significantly impacted why I feel that way, as traditionally, a football stadium can be associated with a hostile atmosphere, an energy that can swing between excitable and angry quickly, and a space that doesn’t immediately feel safe for a female to attend alone. In 2022, I and other long-standing female Fulham fans co-founded the Fulham Lillies to help encourage more females to feel welcome at Fulham. It was born after we arranged a ...