UEFA Women’s Football Director Nadine Kessler has described women’s football as “the area to bet on,” emphasising its remarkable growth across Europe.
She also underscored the need for sustained investment and strategic structural development to secure its long-term sustainability.
Kessler told the Portugal Football Summit Podcast, presented by Pedro Pinto: “The growth of the UEFA Women’s EURO has been phenomenal, both sportingly and commercially, with clear global relevance and a major impact on the wider development of women’s football. The UEFA Women’s Champions League has also progressed significantly through the centralisation of media rights and dedicated commercial programmes. But what I’m most proud of is the shift in mindset. All our national associations are now active, and it no longer takes convincing because they know this is the area of football to bet on.”
The three-time Champions League title holder and Ballon D’Or winner also stressed UEFA’s commitment to grassroots development across Europe. “We do a lot in the elite game through our competitions, but also through grassroots projects. There are 150,000 grassroots clubs in Europe, and the key target is to create a welcoming environment so girls are part of the game from the very first moment.”
Looking ahead, she called for prioritization of the women’s club game. “We need to put more focus on women’s club football, with more investment, better structure, and stronger collaboration with the leagues,” she said.
Finally, Kessler praised Portugal’s growing influence in the women’s game. “The potential of Portugal is phenomenal, and you’ve already seen it across the game, whether with clubs or national teams,” she said. “Portugal has a huge potential, and already a high level of talent, and the fact that teams are competing consistently at international level is very impressive.”
The Portugal Football Summit Podcast is part of the Portugal Football Summit, an initiative of the Portuguese Football Federation ahead of its second edition, taking place from 23 to 25 September at Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras.
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