History Extra podcast The history of women's football: everything you wanted to know
Jul 12, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Jean Williams, a professor of sports at the University of Wolverhampton and an expert in women's football, delves into the fascinating history of the sport. She highlights pioneering figures like Nettie Honeyball and the significant cultural impact of World War I on female teams. Williams also addresses the 1921 ban by the Football Association and the groundbreaking 1971 unofficial Women's World Cup, showcasing how these events shaped women's football and the ongoing fight for recognition.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Early Women's Football Roots
- Women's football existed in various folk forms long before the modern game began in 1863.
- Games often tied to community rituals and were very different from today's structured football matches.
Nettie Honeyball's Media Genius
- Nettie Honeyball cleverly used media publicity to popularize women's football in the 1890s.
- The British Ladies Football Club drew 10,000 spectators to their first match in 1895, proving early professional interest.
Social Class in Early Women's Football
- Early women's football players were mostly middle class as working-class women had less time and money.
- Football was a form of assertive entry into male-dominated public spaces linked with suffrage.