By Christophe Jost
I remember a few years back UA being the only place, or one of the only places, were Arsenal’s women’s team games were reported on, with attendances of a few hundred people. I mean…just think about that for a minute… a few years ago. And now…look at what happened…. just stunning…
As an Arsenal fan… I just feel what the players from Arsenal have achieved is just incredible, and that the owners have taken the initiative to believe in their women’s team is great.
They come from the US, so they know the popularity potential and believe in it. We can bet the girls’ academy is going to be overflowing with girls in the weeks and months to come.
Even as their decision was pure business, they must be commended for having taken the risk and going though with it.
As a Swiss, I was totally amazed at what happened these past weeks at the Euros 2025 in my country. I mean, any normal football or hockey game (men’s league…) ends with violence, destroyed trains or buses, fan marches that look more like civil violence, etc
So I was expecting the worst…
The reality was a perfect midsummer dream, no violence, even when tens of thousands marched to the stadium. And none of the violence in the stadia. And to be clear it is not like there were only women going to see the games.
Which begets the question: Why ?!?!
In the end who cares…. however I can tell you this…
The FA and UEFA, wary of Infantino’s cosying up to Trump, petrostates and other non-democratic countries to hang on to power, have decided, in a secret contract we have had the chance to read, that they are going to pick up the mantle of democracy and diversity and bring them the fight.
The way to bring the fight to them is Diverstiy, Equity and Inclusion. It is about time Europe started defending its history, its progress, its space of freedom.
Yes, starting next season, any PL, Championship and UEFA game accross all competitions will have quotas for spectators. Which means that season tickets will have to be allocated via a quota calculation. The basic elements have been outlined but need to be detailed but basically it comes down to these principles:
50% of tickets sold to women and girls
A points system for season ticket holders : take one with your daughter, wife, mother and you have a better chance. HG rule gets enlarged and has some factor included about the girls’ teams in the organisation.
Also 50 % of journalists must be women, so we should see quite a chang in the way Arsenal are reported vis a vis the rest of the league.
UEFA and FA will finance women’s football, especially the youth movements, and qualification for the Champions League will be reached by the combination of the men’s team and women’s teams – via an algorithm to be announced.
Women’s teams will play in the main stadium of the club – as happens at Arsenal now. And any country not following that lead within two seasons will be excluded from UEFA competitions, both men and women’s
Considering how orderly the Euros went, this is not even a Diversity Equality and Inclusion (DEI) decision: it is a bottom-line decision. That way, security costs stop ballooning, political costs go the same way; there will be no more violence, no more need for expensive cop presence around every game, etc etc etc.
This will put women’s football on a turbo charge. At the same time, all these autocratic states who hate anything like DEI and women’s rights will just run away from it.
The Women’s PL will become a girls’ magnet worldwide and the best showcase of how inclusion, diversity can change things…. Sponsors will stream to it, as they will want to be perceived as positive and not ignoring half the world’s population
And the whitewashing will not be possible anymore… such is the unmistakable message…
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Footnote from Tony: As Christophe kindly mentioned at the very start, there was a time not too long ago where Untold was one of the few places, sometimes the only place where you could read details of Arsenal’s women’s team, their evolution, and their matches. Sadly in 2024/5 our correspondent was unable to continue writing the regular previews and reviews, and we had no one to furnish us with an in-depth coverage.
That is understandable of course; covering a team in a lively and interesting way regularly is a tough ask, and I’m sorry to say, we don’t pay. (The income from the adverts keeps us afloat technically but that’s all). If you feel you would like to take this task on for 2025/6 either occasionally or regularly please do write to me at Tony@schools.co.uk. If you have written for a blog before or you have a sample piece plesae do attach it. And although you won’t get your name in lights, it will be at the top each article.
