The National Lottery is to back GB women’s football at Tokyo 2020 by providing crucial support as players from across the four home nations come together with the ambition of striking gold.
The partnership and investment, overseen by the Football Association which is coordinating the GB team this summer, will see The National Lottery support a warm-up international on home soil before departing for Japan – as well as providing for training camps and the squad’s travel and logistics needs.
Furthermore, The National Lottery will ensure the British public get a rare chance to see a GB team compete on home soil by supporting the staging of a home international immediately prior to departure for Tokyo. I really hope that by the time this fixture is arranged then fans can be there as there would be so much support for this team.
National Lottery players have played a crucial role in supporting Olympic and Paralympic athletes since the 1996 Games and this partnership ensures the very best for the GB Women’s football team in Tokyo. This sits alongside the significant contribution National Lottery funding makes to women’s and girl’s football at a grassroots level – including a £1m contribution to the participation legacy of The UEFA European Women’s Championship in 2022.
The FA’s director of women’s football Sue Campbell said: “We would like to thank National Lottery players for their support for our Olympics campaign. The funding provided will make a huge difference to our preparations for the tournament. In sport, where even marginal gains can have a significant impact on a team’s chances of success, the National Lottery support really could make all the difference. We are very grateful for the generosity of everyone whose contributions have made this possible.”
Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “The National Lottery and our elite sporting success go hand in hand – both are part of a great British success story that is both admired and envied
around the world. I am delighted that the National Lottery is providing further support to give the GB Women’s Football team a strong opportunity for medal success in Tokyo this summer.”
Nigel Railton, Chief Executive of National Lottery operator Camelot: “Every day The National Lottery and its players make a huge difference to communities across the UK and have been doing so since 1994. This inventive partnership demonstrates how, by working together, we can have a real impact on a sport and boost the chances of gold in Tokyo. With the four nations coming together to form one team this is something all National Lottery players can be proud to support and cheer on in the summer.”
The money for these initiatives is coming from a National Lottery promotional fund. It is not being funded by money allocated for National Lottery Good Causes or by Camelot.
Photo: @TeamGB
