A new women’s football initiative may boost grassroots participation, London Football Association officials are hoping.
The ‘Play Fair. Play Equal’ scheme, launched earlier this month, aims to standardise safety, facilities and access for girls playing football across London clubs.
Figures at the London FA hope the initiative could also increase participation at grassroots level.
Cameron Miller, Facilities and Investment Officer, said: “Women’s and girls’ football is growing rapidly, but facilities aren’t catching up as quickly as they should do.
“The main aim for the scheme is we want women and girls to turn up to facilities and think, ‘Okay, we’re welcome here.’
“We’d love to see the number of facilities go up, and we’d love to see the number of women and girls participating to grow alongside that.”
More than 10,000 women and girls were participating in football according to June figures from the London FA.
However, in a separate survey, the organisation found women often lack access to toilets, changing facilities and sanitary products at football clubs across the city.
The ‘Play Fair. Play Equal’ scheme was launched to address these challenges, with a particular focus on getting women and girls from underrepresented backgrounds into football.
Lily Aungier, Women’s Community Officer, said: “We’re leading on a priority place programme, which is focusing on the three boroughs in London that are the most underrepresented when it comes to football.
“We’ll be working with youth clubs and organisations, working with refugees, linking up housing associations, and looking for spaces where Muslim women can participate safely.
“The project itself is obviously focused on breaking down barriers, but also respecting faith and age barriers to really open up doors for more women and girls to participate.”
As part of the ‘Play Fair. Play Equal’ scheme, grassroots clubs can receive accreditation for meeting criteria on toilets, pitch lighting, provision of sanitary products and giving women and girls access to pitches during peak hours.
Crayford Arrows FC, based in Bexleyheath, are one of seven clubs currently accredited by the London FA.
The team has already picked up local recognition, with a selection of girls invited to Downing Street in 2023 and head of girls’ football Stacie King awarded the ‘Positive Environment Award’ by the London FA in 2024.
Despite that, the ‘Play Fair. Play Equal’ accreditation is important for the club to attract new talent.
Lizzie Crawford, the club’s social media, events and welfare officer, said: “Having that recognition is vitally important for our future.
“We can promote things on our social media pages and claim that we’re doing things, but as soon as you get that accreditation, it just gives you that extra boost and that extra recognition with girls and female players.
“The recognition is what we want to move forward and improve the experience of female players beyond the pitch – I think the ‘Play Fair. Play Equal’ accreditation helps us to achieve that.”
Chislehurst Glebe FC has also received ‘Play Fair. Play Equal’ accreditation and was named ‘Club of the Year’ at the 2026 London Football Grassroots Awards.
Seán Cadogan, girls officer at the club, believes the affiliation with the scheme is not just about attracting new talent, but also making sure girls continue to participate in the sport.
He said: “We noticed a big drop-off in terms of participation for girls in mid-teens.
“I might be at training and one of the girls is having her period. If she doesn’t know the club has all the support for her, she may say, ‘I’m not feeling well today’.
“It’s a micro example of the many things that can turn a girl off continuing in the sport.
“We want to say that we are listening to the voices of the girls and the women, and we want to reflect the safe, inclusive, welcoming, feel to the club for them.”
While the initiative aims to move the dial towards a higher standard of provisions in grassroots football, Cadogan hopes the scheme is also part of a wider cultural shift.
He added: “I’m hoping in years to come we don’t have to be celebrating some of these bits, because actually it should be the norm.”
Featured image credit: Seán Cadogan, Chislehurst Glebe FC
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