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Euro 2021 a 'game changer' for women's soccer: FA
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Dog fight: Norway´s Amalie Vevle Eikeland (right) and England's Lucy Bronze vie for the ball during the women friendly football match between Norway vs England at Brann Stadion in Bergen, Norway, on September 3, 2019. (AFP/Marit Hommedal)
T
he Women's Euro 2021 could have the same positive impact on women's sport as the 2012 London Olympics, says Football Association executive Marzena Bogdanowicz.
The women's game in England has enjoyed a surge in popularity on the back of the success of Phil Neville's national side, who reached the World Cup semi-finals this year, with a TV audience of more than 11 million tuning in watch their semi-final defeat by the United States.
Bogdanowicz pinpointed Euro 2021, being hosted by England, as a huge opportunity to boost the game further.
"Euro 2021 will be the next big game changer," she told the SportsPro FAN Conference in London.
"Before that there will be a Team GB soccer team at the Tokyo Olympics so take the size of soccer and multiply that into what the Olympics normally does when it comes around and it will be an incredible summer.
"Euro 2021 will take this country in the same way as the 2012 Olympics did and I think it will have the same impact on women's sport."
Bogdanowicz, the FA's head of marketing and commercial for women's soccer, has the figures to back her up.
More than 75,000 tickets (priced at £10 for adults and £1 for children) have been sold for the friendly at Wembley with Germany on November 9.
That compares with a crowd of around 70,500 at Wembley for Team GB's match against Brazil in the women's competition at the 2012 Olympics.
And interest is also growing in the domestic game, with more than 62,000 supporters attending opening fixtures in the Women's Super League compared with a reported 92,000 across all 110 WSL games last season.
