Thursday 13 July 2017 11:02, UK
The Football Association has unveiled plans for eight Women's High Performance Football Centres to be based at universities around England.
The new centres are aimed to support the FA's ambition to increase the number of qualified coaches and improve the quality of coaching, both central to the growth of the women's game.
Centres have been confirmed for the University of Birmingham, the University of Chichester, University of Gloucestershire, a Manchester consortia of Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester, Northumbria University, a Nottingham consortia of the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, Sheffield Hallam University and St Mary's University.
They will provide an educational and community-based setting to recruit, develop and deploy coaches, who will lead and inspire player development specifically in the women's and girls' game.
Establishing a connection with the England talent pathway and FA WSL clubs, the centres will also provide talented players with an environment to facilitate both their academic and football ambitions, providing a variety of services such as, coaching, sports science and sports medicine and scholarship opportunities.
Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA's Head of Women's Football, said: "The establishment of these centres is a further proof point of the FA's commitment to transform the future of women's football in England.
"They will ensure aspiring coaches and talented players in all parts of the country have access to the best training and support possible, providing us with the greatest opportunity for success at all levels of international football."
