Girls’ football is booming across the UK, and it’s easy to see why. Inspired by the incredible success of the England women’s national football team, more girls than ever are lacing up their boots and getting involved in the game. From grassroots clubs and school teams to local weekend leagues, thousands are discovering the confidence and excitement that football brings to their lives.
Can Girls Play Football with Boys?
The great news for young players and parents alike is that, in England, girls can play on mixed football teams with boys all the way up to the age of 18 under The FA rules. That’s been a huge boost for accessibility, giving more girls the chance to get involved in football, especially in areas where girls-only teams are still growing.
At grassroots level, mixed teams are incredibly common, helping young players build confidence, develop skills and simply enjoy the game with friends. And with women’s football continuing to grow at an incredible pace, there are now more opportunities than ever for girls to play, compete and thrive.
At younger age groups, mixed football is extremely common, particularly:
- Under 7s
- Under 8s
- Under 9s
- Junior grassroots football
For many families, mixed football provides the easiest and most accessible way for girls to start playing regularly.
Why Do Girls Play in Mixed Football Teams?
There are many reasons why mixed football has become an important part of grassroots football in the UK.
More Playing Opportunities
In some areas, there may be fewer girls-only teams available at younger age groups. Mixed football ensures girls can still:
- join local clubs
- train weekly
- play competitively
- develop confidence and skills
Playing With Friends and Classmates
Many girls simply want to play with their friends from school or their local community. Mixed football allows friendship groups to stay together while enjoying the game.
Skill Development
Playing in mixed teams can help players develop:
- technical ability
- confidence on the ball
- teamwork
- communication
- match experience
At grassroots level, the focus is usually on enjoyment, development and participation.
What Happens as Players Get Older?
As girls’ football continues to grow, many players move into girls-only leagues and teams during their teenage years.
However, this varies depending on:
- local league structures
- club availability
- county FA rules
- player preference
Some girls continue to enjoy mixed football, while others choose girls-only football pathways as more opportunities become available.
The important thing is that there are now more choices than ever before for young female players in the UK.
The Rise of Girls’ Football in England
Women’s football in England has experienced huge growth in recent years, with the success of the England women’s national football team inspiring a new generation of players.
The Lionesses’ victory at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 and 2025 helped transform the visibility of women’s football across the country. Suddenly, young girls could see female footballers regularly featured:
- on television
- in schools
- across social media
- in major stadiums
- throughout grassroots football campaigns
For many young players, the Lionesses made football feel more accessible and achievable.
According to The FA, participation in women’s and girls’ football increased by 56% between 2020 and 2024 as part of the FA’s Inspiring Positive Change strategy.
The FA also reported that:
- 77% of schools now offer girls equal access to football in PE lessons
- more girls are taking part in grassroots football than ever before
- investment in girls’ football facilities and opportunities continues to increase across the UK
Today, schools and grassroots clubs across the UK are seeing record numbers of girls taking part in football. Many clubs that previously had only boys’ teams now offer girls’ squads, while girls-only leagues and tournaments continue to expand every year.
More Girls Are Playing Football Than Ever Before
The growth of girls’ football in the UK has been remarkable.
Across schools and grassroots clubs:
- more girls are joining teams
- participation numbers continue to rise
- investment in facilities has increased
- schools now offer greater access to football for girls
- more girls-only leagues and tournaments are being created
Participation in girls’ football continues to rise rapidly across schools, grassroots clubs and community programmes, with The FA reporting a 56% growth in women’s and girls’ football participation between 2020 and 2024.
Not long ago, many girls who wanted to play regularly had little option but to join boys’ teams. Fast forward to today, and the football landscape looks completely different. Across the UK, clubs are seeing record demand as more girls than ever sign up to play, train and compete every week.
From brand-new beginners to future stars of the game, the growth of girls’ football is creating more opportunities, more teams and more excitement at every level of the sport.
Clubs across the UK are now seeing record demand for:
- girls’ grassroots teams
- football festivals
- youth tournaments
- girls’ development sessions
- football tours and team experiences
The Importance of Grassroots Football
Grassroots football plays a huge role in helping young players develop confidence, friendships and a love for the game.
Whether players compete in:
- mixed football teams
- girls-only squads
- school football
- local leagues
- football festivals
At the heart of it all, the most important thing is creating positive football experiences where children can have fun, build confidence and keep developing their love for the game. Especially at younger ages, enjoyment, participation and personal growth are often far more valuable than the final score.
Football Tours and Tournaments for Girls’ Teams
As girls’ football continues to grow across the UK, more teams are getting involved in:
- UK grassroots tournaments
- end-of-season tours
- weekend football experiences
These events give players the chance to do more than just play matches, helping teams:
- build confidence and team spirit
- experience competitive football in new environments
- create unforgettable memories together
- play against a wide range of teams from across the UK
At Sports Tours, we’ve seen huge growth in demand for girls’ football opportunities in recent years, alongside our long-established boys’ and mixed grassroots tournaments. It’s an exciting reflection of just how quickly the girls’ game is growing across the UK.
We’re proud to play our part in supporting that growth through dedicated girls’ football events within our wider tournament programme — helping create more opportunities for teams to compete, develop and enjoy unforgettable football experiences together.
In 2026, Sports Tours welcomed girls’ teams to a number of exciting events, including the Great Yarmouth Girls and Ladies Football Tournament and the Blackpool Girls Football Tournament. Both tournaments delivered fantastic weekends packed with competitive football, team bonding and unforgettable memories on and off the pitch.
And the momentum is only growing. Our 2027 tournament schedule will be announced soon. It will feature grassroots football tournaments across the UK, with opportunities for girls’ teams to take part throughout the season. We’re proud to keep supporting the rapid growth of the girls’ game.
Pre-Register for Our 2027 Football Tournament Weekends Events
Our 2027 tournament season pre-registration is now officially OPEN.
Be among the first to secure your place at our UK football tournament weekends, including a growing range of girls’ football events alongside our boys’ and mixed grassroots tournaments.
Whether you’re entering a girls’ team, boys team or mixed squad, our tournaments are designed to deliver competitive football, brilliant organisation and unforgettable team experiences.
