FAW chief executive Noel Mooney says getting more women and girls playing football is one of the governing body’s main priorities.<\/p>\n
“If we provide a lot more opportunities to schools and to the younger age groups I think that number will just go up and up and up,” he said.<\/p>\n
“We treat the women’s game like a start-up almost because it hadn’t had the investment historically. Now we’re investing in it very heavily.”<\/p>\n
In 2021 the FAW launched its first ever women and girls football strategy, with the aim of doubling participation levels to 20,000 registered girls playing football.<\/p>\n
“I think we’re one of the highest spending national associations as a percentage of our turnover,” added Mooney.<\/p>\n
“It’s changed, there’s a paradigm shift from where it was when I started my career, maybe 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
“But what we need to do is keep supporting the grassroots game to grow as well.<\/p>\n
“So it’s making sure we’ve got all the things in place to make sure that this growth that we see doesn’t plateau.”<\/p>\n
Wales face the Netherlands in their first group game at Euro 2025 in Lucerne on 5 July before then playing France and England in Saint Gallen.<\/p>\n