At the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, Ian Wright swapped the football pitch for the classroom to speak with pupils and staff about the societal barriers that continue to prevent many girls from fully participating in sport.
The visit marked the formal launch of Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers, a national campaign from The Football Association in partnership with Barclays.
The campaign is designed to deliver educational resources to primary and secondary schools nationwide to tackle deep-rooted societal barriers to girls’ participation in school football.
Progress in Girls’ Football
Girls’ football participation in England has more than doubled in recent years, rising from 1.2 million in the 2020/21 season to 2.7 million in 2024/25.
The Barclays Girls’ Football in Schools initiative recently reached a milestone, with 90% of schools now offering girls equal access to football in PE at Key Stages 2 and 3 three years ahead of schedule — and 79% providing access across Key Stages 1–4.
Despite these gains, barriers remain.
Surveys show that 71% of primary school teachers believe girls are most held back by feeling excluded by boys, while 63% of secondary school teachers cite body image and self-consciousness as the main obstacles for teenage girls.
Research from the Youth Sport Trust indicates girls are over three times more likely than boys to lack confidence when taking part in physical activity, and more than twice as likely to feel a lack of resilience, highlighting the need for targeted support.
Launch of Educational Resources
To help address these issues, The FA — supported by Barclays through the Barclays Girls’ Football in Schools partnership — has developed the Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers educational resources for both primary and secondary pupils.
- Primary (Ages 5–11): Focused on inclusion, misogyny, and challenging gender stereotypes.
- Secondary (Ages 11–16): Addressing body confidence, mental wellbeing, and societal pressures that can lead girls to drop out of sport.
CBBC and BBC Strictly Come Dancing star Molly Rainford features in the lesson packs, engaging with pupils on gender bias, self-image, and confidence.
In addition, a visual podcast for teachers, hosted by comedian Maisie Adam and featuring Lioness legend Rachel Brown-Finnis and educator Matthew Burton, provides guidance on discussing misogyny and societal pressures in schools.
Ian Wright Champions Girls’ Football
Wright, a Barclays Football Ambassador for seven years, has been a long-standing advocate for the women’s game.
His initiatives include the Ian Wright Coaching Fund, supporting 664 aspiring female grassroots coaches, establishing TenEmBee FC’s first girls’ football team, and improving facilities for female players nationwide.
At the school visit, Wright joined pupils in open discussions about the challenges girls face, emphasising that football should be accessible and welcoming to all.
“Football is our national sport, and it’s so important that it’s truly open to everyone,” he said.
“I’ve watched participation grow from 90,000 girls playing on one day to 485,000. Supporting The FA and Barclays with Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers is about ensuring every girl feels football is for her.”
Leadership Perspectives
Sue Day MBE, Director of Women’s Football at The FA, said:
“By starting these conversations for girls and boys in their formative years, we can help develop a generation of girls who truly believe that football is for them. Role models in the Lionesses are inspiring, but girls need to feel football is a place for them to thrive.”
Tom Corbett, Group Head of Sponsorship and Client Experience at Barclays, added:
“Access alone isn’t enough. Too many girls are still held back by stereotypes, self-doubt, and societal pressures. Our partnership with The FA ensures girls feel confident, welcome, and supported — from their first kick to chasing their dreams.”
“The new Barclays Talent Education Programme further ensures talented girls receive support to balance football and education.”
Molly Rainford said: “Having the opportunity to speak to girls and young women as part of this project has been very eye-opening.”
“Body confidence, misogyny, and gender bias remain barriers, but it’s important to understand why and how we can change that. The conversation goes beyond football, but football is a great place to start.”
Nationwide Impact
The Barclays Girls’ Football in Schools partnership now reaches 20,434 schools nationwide a 47% increase since 2020/21 , delivering targeted support to empower girls, grow confidence, and develop skills.
Alongside Breaking Barriers, the Barclays Talent Education Programme provides tailored support for high-potential girls aged 8–16, bridging the gap between football and education on elite pathways.
A Message for the Future
The launch of Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers represents a major step in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for girls in football.
By combining education, advocacy, and practical opportunities to play, The FA and Barclays are ensuring that participation is not just available, but welcoming and empowering.
With champions like Ian Wright and role models such as Molly Rainford leading the way, the campaign sends a clear message: football is for everyone, and no societal barrier should ever stop a girl from taking her place on the pitch.
Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers educational resources are available to schools at girlsfootballinschools.org.
At the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, Ian Wright swapped the football pitch for the classroom to speak with pupils and staff about the societal barriers that continue to prevent many girls from fully participating in sport.
The visit marked the formal launch of Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers, a national campaign from The Football Association in partnership with Barclays.
The campaign is designed to deliver educational resources to primary and secondary schools nationwide to tackle deep-rooted societal barriers to girls’ participation in school football.
Progress in Girls’ Football
Girls’ football participation in England has more than doubled in recent years, rising from 1.2 million in the 2020/21 season to 2.7 million in 2024/25.
The Barclays Girls’ Football in Schools initiative recently reached a milestone, with 90% of schools now offering girls equal access to football in PE at Key Stages 2 and 3 three years ahead of schedule — and 79% providing access across Key Stages 1–4.
Despite these gains, barriers remain.
Surveys show that 71% of primary school teachers believe girls are most held back by feeling excluded by boys, while 63% of secondary school teachers cite body image and self-consciousness as the main obstacles for teenage girls.
Research from the Youth Sport Trust indicates girls are over three times more likely than boys to lack confidence when taking part in physical activity, and more than twice as likely to feel a lack of resilience, highlighting the need for targeted support.
Launch of Educational Resources
To help address these issues, The FA — supported by Barclays through the Barclays Girls’ Football in Schools partnership — has developed the Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers educational resources for both primary and secondary pupils.
- Primary (Ages 5–11): Focused on inclusion, misogyny, and challenging gender stereotypes.
- Secondary (Ages 11–16): Addressing body confidence, mental wellbeing, and societal pressures that can lead girls to drop out of sport.
CBBC and BBC Strictly Come Dancing star Molly Rainford features in the lesson packs, engaging with pupils on gender bias, self-image, and confidence.
In addition, a visual podcast for teachers, hosted by comedian Maisie Adam and featuring Lioness legend Rachel Brown-Finnis and educator Matthew Burton, provides guidance on discussing misogyny and societal pressures in schools.
Ian Wright Champions Girls’ Football
Wright, a Barclays Football Ambassador for seven years, has been a long-standing advocate for the women’s game.
His initiatives include the Ian Wright Coaching Fund, supporting 664 aspiring female grassroots coaches, establishing TenEmBee FC’s first girls’ football team, and improving facilities for female players nationwide.
At the school visit, Wright joined pupils in open discussions about the challenges girls face, emphasising that football should be accessible and welcoming to all.
“Football is our national sport, and it’s so important that it’s truly open to everyone,” he said.
“I’ve watched participation grow from 90,000 girls playing on one day to 485,000. Supporting The FA and Barclays with Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers is about ensuring every girl feels football is for her.”
Leadership Perspectives
Sue Day MBE, Director of Women’s Football at The FA, said:
“By starting these conversations for girls and boys in their formative years, we can help develop a generation of girls who truly believe that football is for them. Role models in the Lionesses are inspiring, but girls need to feel football is a place for them to thrive.”
Tom Corbett, Group Head of Sponsorship and Client Experience at Barclays, added:
“Access alone isn’t enough. Too many girls are still held back by stereotypes, self-doubt, and societal pressures. Our partnership with The FA ensures girls feel confident, welcome, and supported — from their first kick to chasing their dreams.”
“The new Barclays Talent Education Programme further ensures talented girls receive support to balance football and education.”
Molly Rainford said: “Having the opportunity to speak to girls and young women as part of this project has been very eye-opening.”
“Body confidence, misogyny, and gender bias remain barriers, but it’s important to understand why and how we can change that. The conversation goes beyond football, but football is a great place to start.”
Nationwide Impact
The Barclays Girls’ Football in Schools partnership now reaches 20,434 schools nationwide a 47% increase since 2020/21 , delivering targeted support to empower girls, grow confidence, and develop skills.
Alongside Breaking Barriers, the Barclays Talent Education Programme provides tailored support for high-potential girls aged 8–16, bridging the gap between football and education on elite pathways.
A Message for the Future
The launch of Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers represents a major step in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for girls in football.
By combining education, advocacy, and practical opportunities to play, The FA and Barclays are ensuring that participation is not just available, but welcoming and empowering.
With champions like Ian Wright and role models such as Molly Rainford leading the way, the campaign sends a clear message: football is for everyone, and no societal barrier should ever stop a girl from taking her place on the pitch.
Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers educational resources are available to schools at girlsfootballinschools.org.
