Liverpool FC Women and Standard Chartered team up for a special front of shirt logo swap, this year for ‘Play On’ – the joint initiative aimed at keeping young girls in sport.
During fixtures at Anfield this month, the Standard Chartered logo will be replaced on the front of the players’ shirts with the ‘Play On’ logo, raising awareness of the challenges girls face in staying engaged in sport and the positive impact participation can have on their futures.
Launched in 2023, ‘Play On’ tackles the problem of young girls dropping out of sport by highlighting the benefits that playing sports can make to their lives off the pitch. In the UK, more than 1 million teenage girls have stopped playing sports for various reasons including peer pressure, lack of access, or body image issues, dropping out by the age of 14 at twice the rate of boys.
However, research shows that 94 per cent of women in the C-suite (leadership roles) played sport and 74 per cent of executive women believe a background in sport helps accelerate a woman’s career. This initiative helps break down barriers that prevent girls from continuing in sport, from providing access to opportunities, to inspiring confidence and promoting representation.
Liverpool FC Women will wear the Play On shirts this Sunday when they face Manchester City at Anfield. Tickets for the women’s match are still available and priced at just £12 for adults and £5 for juniors. To purchase your tickets, please go here.
Natasha Dowie, LFC Women’s ambassador and former LFC Women’s player, said: “Throughout my career in women’s football I’ve witnessed the impact sport can have and why it’s so important to keep girls engaged. The opportunities and confidence that sport gives you lasts a lifetime, and programmes like Play On are vital in making sure the next generation of girls don’t miss out. It’s fantastic to see Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered coming together to shine a light on this important issue.”
Sarah Hagan, Standard Chartered’s Co-Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing added: “At Standard Chartered, we feel passionately about the importance of empowering girls and women to thrive in life and in leadership. ‘Play On’ aims to encourage girls to play sport because of the critical life skills it can teach them off the pitch such as confidence, teamwork and resilience. We’re excited to be able to feature this important initiative on the front of the Reds’ shirts, and hopefully, inspire more girls to Play On!”
After the women’s match, the shirts will be signed by the players and go up for auction on MatchWornShirt. Supporters can bid on the shirts from 12-26 October.
Funds raised from this auction will go to the Standard Chartered Foundation, which supports underserved young people, especially women.
