Delivered by the Premier League Charitable Fund, the Under-16 girls’ tournament was one of the competition elements of the Premier League’s flagship community programme, Premier League Kicks, and celebrated the League’s commitment to increasing opportunities for girls and young women to play. More than 27,000 girls and young women took part in Premier League Kicks sessions last season.
Established in Season 2006/07, Premier League Kicks saw 89 professional football clubs, in some of the most high-need areas in England and Wales, run free weekly football sessions and positive activities to inspire young people to reach their potential.
Pompey in the Community took part in the Under-16 girls’ tournament, for the chance to lift the 2024 Premier League Kicks Cup. Teams were also recognized for respect throughout the tournament, with fair play trophies awarded by Premier League, EFL, and WSL match officials.
Premier League Charitable Fund Chief Executive, Ruth Shaw OBE, said: “For over 17 years Premier League Kicks has provided free access to sport for young people across the country. Last season alone Premier League Kicks engaged more than 27,000 girls and young women, helping them to reach their potential on and off the pitch.
“This year’s Premier League Kicks Cup Under-16 girls’ tournament offered a fantastic opportunity for young people from different backgrounds to come together to play at the home of all 23 of England’s national football teams. It was an experience they will never forget.”
The Premier League Kicks Cup Under-16 girls’ tournament was a celebration of how Premier League Kicks connected young people with football, providing positive opportunities to help them reach their potential.
More than 550 girls representing more than 70 professional football clubs across England and Wales took part in regional qualifying tournaments earlier this year, in the hope of earning the chance to play in the Premier League Kicks Cup finals, in the playing kit of their professional football club side.
“We had an amazing day yesterday at St George’s Park where our U16 Girls Premier League Kicks team competed against 23 other CCO’s to battle it out to win the Girls Premier League Kicks Cup for 2024. The girls managed to finish 3rd in the whole country after going through regional qualifying back in April to even get to the national finals. We are immensely proud of all the girls with the way they represented us and themselves and the way they carried themselves on the pitch with some fantastic football on show. Unfortunately, we fell just short in the Semi Finals but managed to battle through the 3rd/4th play off fixture to win on penalties.” – Callum Fowler Premier League Kicks Coordinator
Results from the day
Thanks to the Premier League’s official ball supplier, Nike, all fixtures across the event were played with the season 2024/25 Nike FA24 skill balls.
Liverpool Women’s Missy Bo Kearns was on hand to motivate and encourage the teams throughout the event, with participants also set to receive a customizable Nike gym sack and had the chance to capture their involvement in the tournament in a 360-degree photobooth, as part of the programme’s commitment to creating opportunities both on and off the pitch.
And, as part of Nike’s global commitment to expanding girls’ access to sport, all participants left the event with a Nike Sports bra, helping to break down barriers to participation and ensure that no participant stopped playing football because they didn’t have access to the right apparel.
Alongside the participant-focused activities, representatives from professional football club charities, EA Sports, Barclays, and the FA joined the Premier League and Premier League Charitable Fund at Premier League Kicks Cup, to explore further opportunities to work together to increase access for girls into football activity and future footballing pathways.
The Premier League was committed to providing better accessibility and more inclusivity for young female players and enhancing player development from grassroots to the elite game. Between 2022-25, the Premier League was investing £21m into women’s and girls’ football.
Within this was £10.5m for the grassroots game including £5.25m for the FA’s network of Girls’ Emerging Talent Centres (ETCs) and £3m for a new strategy for the FA Women’s National League. The Premier League also provided wide-ranging support to women and girls through its facilities funding and community programmes.
More than 100,000 girls and young women took part in Premier League community programmes each year and over 5,000 girls were part of the FA’s network of 73 girls’ Emerging Talent Centres.
To find out more about the Premier League’s commitment to increasing girls’ participation, please visit premierleague.com.
