We warmly welcome DCMS’s commitment to harnessing the power of major women’s sporting events to drive greater gender equality and participation in sport, committing to deliver equal access, better facilities and protect female athletes from online abuse. This approach could not be more timely. Following an extraordinary summer of women’s sport — from the Lionesses’ unforgettable victory in the UEFA Women’s EUROs to the Women’s Rugby World Cup hosted in England — now is a unique opportunity to build momentum, inspire new audiences, and create lasting change.

At Spirit of 2012, we know from experience that inspirational events can be the spark for interest and engagement, but that this doesn’t automatically translate into long-term participation. The relationship between watching elite sport and becoming more active is complex, and it requires careful planning, investment and collaboration to ensure the widest possible impact. As the Culture Secretary said in her statement, “positive results on the pitch must be met with decisive action off it”, and this needs to focus on long term outcomes for players at all levels of sport, girls who want to be more physically active, as well as the communities that host events. We particularly welcome DCMS’s focus on connecting multiple events in the pipeline to the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup within an overarching strategy for change, rather than treating each competition in isolation. The announcement today focusses on partnership across women’s sporting events and between governing bodies. Within the pipeline of events being held in the UK there is also a strong role of the inspiration of future multi-sport events like the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and 2027 Invictus Games to inspire and ignite the next generation of girls’ into sport and physical activity.

Our work over the past decade has shown how powerful focussing on those furthest from participation can be, with a genuine understanding of the barriers that stop them being active and how to knock them down. Through programmes like Get Out Get Active (GOGA) and the Sporting Equality Fund, we’ve funded initiatives that reach those least likely to take part in physical activity, not just those with existing sporting ambitions. By focusing on inclusion and accessibility, these projects have created new opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to benefit from the joy and wellbeing that sport can bring.

We were proud to be sponsor last week’s Business of Women’s Health summit, organised by Loughborough University in partnership with the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, as part of our match funding of their UK Sport Social Impact Partnership. This event explored how sport, health, research and innovation can come together to empower women and girls.

We look forward to using our remaining 100 days to work with DCMS and partners across the sector to pass on this learning and ensure the exciting new chapter for women’s sport leaves a legacy of equality, inspiration, and participation.

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