GENEVA (AP) – When Arsenal parade the club’s trophies won this season in north London on Sunday, the women’s team will also share the spotlight.
While the men’s team is champion of england — and perhaps later Europe champions league final Saturday — The women’s team is also world champion.
inauguration ceremony FIFA Women’s Champions Cup They won the title in January and the Gunners management want to be praised for their success.
“We are one club,” Arsenal’s chief commercial officer Juliet Slott told women’s football leaders at a UEFA conference.
The clear message at the annual UEFA Business Case for Women’s Football event in Oslo was to see the sport as one, not divided by gender.
“I think it’s a big statement and I think it should be,” former Arsenal player Johan Djourou told The Associated Press about plans for a bus parade.
“It would be huge if the club promoted both at the same time and we paraded together,” added Jorou, the club’s technical director. swiss women’s national team.
The conference brought together industry leaders ahead of UEFA. Women’s Champions League Final Last Saturday, it took place between two powerhouses, Barcelona and OL Lyon.
A club that drives change
UEFA created the European Women’s Club Competition in 2001, with the first title competition involving independent clubs. FFC Frankfurt won and became the first champion. umeo sweden He won the title in 2003 and 2004.
Germany’s Turbin Potsdam won in 2005 and 2010, while the last indies to reach the final were Frankfurt, who won in 2015 and later merged with the city’s men’s club Eintracht.
UEFA Deputy Director General Giorgio Marchetti said: “We always thought that the moment the big men’s clubs agreed, the gears of the women’s game would change.”
Mr. Marchetti has long admired Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas As a visionary who understood the value of investing in the women’s team. Lyon won the Women’s Champions League a record eight times between 2011 and 2022, but lost to Barcelona in two of the last three finals.
Independent clubs were cornered financially as well-known clubs such as: manchester united, real madrid And Juventus entered this arena in 2017.
An unusual challenge to a new reality, American investor Michelle Kangcurrently the owner of Lyon (renamed OL Lyons), is aiming to progress with London City Lionesses, which he acquired in 2023.
Arsenal are in their 40th season and increasingly play matches at the club’s 60,000-capacity stadium.
“Look at women’s football as an investment. Invest with patience,” club director Slott advised the UEFA-invited audience, adding that they would “never give away free tickets” to matches.
Transfer fees rise
The world record transfer fee for women’s soccer has more than doubled in two years.
arsenal set a record last year Liverpool’s Canadian forward Olivia Smith was paid £1 million ($1.34 million at the time). Orlando Pride made $1.5 million Signed Lisbeth Ovalle from Mexico’s Tigres UANL.
Tigres boss Carlos Valenzuela told the crowd in Oslo that the money raised from the sale of players to Chelsea was used to fund the club’s youth team up to under-13 level. This is the 2023 transfer fee for U.S. international Mia Fishel, which was reportedly $250,000.
Barcelona’s Xavier O’Callaghan said the women’s team’s technical support, including doctors and analysts, was “approaching” the men’s level. “It’s almost impossible to keep everyone 100% happy,” he warned.
Euro women who develop games
Women’s football still offers good value as the sport is growing rapidly, with UEFA president Alexander Ceferin insisting: “Compared to men’s football, it is still relatively cheap and we should invest in it.”
UEFA’s main event that drives its growth is the European Championship. Germany is scheduled to host the event in 2029.
Ceferin quipped that German great and UEFA director of women’s football Nadine Kessler had promised the tournament would break even, at least financially.
The 2025 edition was a huge success in Switzerland, even surprising. UEFA subsidy available Approximately 25 million euros ($29 million). Jrue believes it will take at least five years for the domestic club game to develop.
“I can’t say the stadium is full today because of the euros,” Giroud told The Associated Press. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of girls playing. It’s a positive result, but not enough to say we’ve seen a huge difference.”
Appointment of female leaders
“We know that when it comes to women in leadership positions, for example, we’re at a bit of a standstill,” said association president Lise Clavenes. Progressive Norwegian Football Federation Promote equal representation on the board of directors.
Wales’ Clavenes and Laura McAllister, both former international players, are the only women taking part in the competition. UEFA Executive Committee, consisting of 21 members.
UEFA’s Marchetti pointed to a clear direction, but warned: “The worst mistake would be to rush and say, ‘This is not good enough.'”
Women’s Euro Championship 3 times Title-winning coach Sarina Wigman Speaking on stage with Clavenes and Marchetti, he said the soccer industry needs to catch up.
England manager Wiegmann said: “Society is ready for women in all positions, both men and women in football,” adding: “But football itself is not ready yet. That’s why we need women in boardrooms.”
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