Birmingham City Women, Blackburn Rovers Ladies, Bristol City Women, Lewes FC Women, London Bees and London City Lionesses will benefit from the new grant; the Government has spent £2.9m in total supporting women's football since the start of the coronavirus pandemic
Friday 19 March 2021 23:29, UK
Six women's football clubs have been handed grants totalling £680,000 from the Government's sport winter survival package.
WSL clubs Birmingham City Women and Bristol City Women, along with second-tier Women's Championship teams Blackburn Rovers Ladies, Lewes FC Women, London Bees and London City Lionesses will receive the funding, taking the Government's total support for women's football to £2.9m.
The money will help cover the lack of spectators, allowing the clubs to complete their seasons.
"Women's football continues to go from strength to strength; the last World Cup captured the hearts and minds of the nation," sports minister Nigel Huddleston said.
"With more terrestrial broadcast coverage and Euro 2022 on the horizon, we must do all we can to give it the visibility it deserves.
"This funding will provide vital support to allow these six clubs to continue, to inspire our stars of the future."
FA women's professional game director Kelly Simmons welcomed the funding as crucial to the six club's continued sustainability.
"This new grant funding will provide vital financial support to six more clubs, helping to cover losses as a result of Covid-19 and giving them the best possible opportunity to complete their campaigns," Simmons said.
"We welcome this funding, along with the previous grant from the sport winter survival package which has been crucial in keeping the game going with weekly Covid-19 testing across the top two divisions, ensuring players can continue to play safely."
