sport news KATHRYN BATTE: A group of men deciding where a women's tournament is held is ... trends now
Ambition versus realism is a recurring battle in women’s football. How do we balance striving for more with not trying to run before we can walk?
In the same week that England beat Brazil in front of 83,132 fans at Wembley, it was announced that Switzerland would host the 2025 European Championship - despite their biggest stadium holding just 38,512.
The tournament will be staged across eight venues with a combined capacity of just over 175,000. There is, understandably, some disappointment in those figures. Euro 2022 had a combined capacity of over 300,000 and the final between England and Germany saw a record attendance of 87,192.
The Lionesses selling out Wembley is the norm now. But other nations are further behind and there is an argument that the game can be grown more in these countries by hosting tournaments.
Equally, Euro 2022 was not without criticism. Many thought the FA and UEFA underestimated the demand for tickets by choosing some smaller grounds such as Manchester City’s Academy Stadium and Leigh Sports Village.
UEFA's choice to host Euro 2025 in Switzerland was made by an all-male executive committee
Wembley welcomed 87,192 fans for the 2022 final, but the largest Swiss capacity is only 38,512
But the stadiums were decided as early as 2017 and the women’s game was not in the place it is now. UEFA said they had to be realistic with their choices and the fact it was the most-attended tournament in women’s football history shows their picks were, for the most part, spot on. It should also be remembered that only one game was played at Old Trafford and Wembley - and both involved England.
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Not every match at last year’s tournament was a sell-out and there were notably empty seats at fixtures involving other countries. The smallest Swiss stadium still holds over 10,000 while the average capacity of every ground is around 25,000. Most players will tell you they would prefer to play in a smaller venue that is full, than a bigger stadium with empty seats.
What should be seen as the biggest issue around UEFA’s decision is that it was made by an all-male executive committee. Frenchwoman Florence Hardouin is a member of the committee but was unable to vote due to France being one of the bidders.
It cannot be right that the location of a women’s football tournament is decided solely by men. England manager Sarina Wiegman admitted as much.
‘We want more women in every position, we hope that's going to change and lots of changes are on the way I would say,’ Wiegman said last week. ‘This is another example of us needing to move forward and get more women in those positions. We need to make women part of decision-making too.’
There is a feeling in certain circles that there may have been political motivations behind the decision to make Switzerland hosts. Their biggest competition for the tournament was the joint Nordic bid, which finished second in voting. This included Finland, who just ended their long-held neutrality by joining NATO.
A neutral country such as Switzerland ensures the tournament stays focused on sport and is not entangled by any political rows or demonstrations.
Sarina Wiegman has spoken about growing the game internationally to improve competition
For example, an England U19 game was due to take
