Companies should be honored to invest in women's soccer.

The predictions of Karen Carney, a legendary English footballer, that women’s football could become a billion-pound industry in a matter of years is about to be put to the test with the start of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Fans are gathering bright and early to watch England take on Haiti in the tournament, and Weetabix is at the forefront of the game’s growth.

Fran Theokli, Marketing Director for Weetabix, will be at Boxpark in Wembley today with her 21-month-old daughter to oversee a variety of activities for young and old. Weetabix have run their Wildcats programme, which supports grassroots football, for several years, and they have set a target to have 3,000 Weetabix World Cup providers in place by 2024. This will allow every girl to have access to football within a certain radius of where they live.

Fran is surprised at how quiet some companies have been in the face of the Women’s World Cup. She believes that more brands should get involved as the momentum and direction of the women’s game is travelling. Commercially, the growth of the game is appealing, and the investment by Weetabix should be seen as the norm, not a novelty. Fran also believes that it is not only about the sport and the football itself, but about allowing girls to have a safe space and a sense of community.

Weetabix is running a competition for people to win a free football top or football through their packs. They hope that even if the girls don’t go on to become an England player, they will be inspired to have the confidence of a Lioness.

At Boxpark Wembley today, fans can expect to watch England v Haiti on the big screen, with a DJ, a breakfast bar, kids activities such as face painting, chances to play football, and a world record attempt at the largest goal celebration.

Fran hopes that everyone will unite behind the Lionesses for the tournament, and welcomes the relief and joy of the tournament from everything that’s going on in the world right now. She is excited to see how well the Lionesses will do, and to see the further growth of the women’s game.

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