A free family roadshow is on tour, kicking off in Yorkshire, to celebrate the run-up to the women’s Euros.
Our football-loving founder Sophie Mei Lan headed to Sheffield for the first event full of keepy uppys, testing out digital games, dancing with mascots, inspiring role models and footballing celebrities to boot.
Sophie shares her personal story from campaigning at school for a girl’s football team to playing the sport as a young mum and now attending the Euros with her own daughters.
From starting a petition for a girl’s football team at my school in Sheffield to being back in my home city with my own daughters to kick off a free women’s Euros roadshow in the run-up to a record-breaking summer, has shown what a real transformation of how far we’ve come as society.
My first notable campaign (and writing experience) was in fact starting a petition at primary school to allow girls to play football and have their own team after being told by the headteacher that we couldn’t. I then got invited on a Sky Sports roadshow in which I won a competition against all boys. I have kept playing ever since, well when I can (albeit at the same level sadly to my 8-year-old self, which was good at the time but means I have struggled to compete as an adult).
When I joined a grassroots women’s team when moving to a part of Wakefield from Sheffield, I helped to start the club. it was much more about creating an accessible ‘movement’ of women come rain, shine, family, and life challenges than it was being the ‘best.’
From breastfeeding on the sidelines to attending church regularly muddy in the kit but with pride… it’s been a relief to see things have progressed to make sports more accessible in which we can all feel included aka a space to belong.
This love of football has continued to my own daughters playing football and then losing interest temporarily until we attended the Women’s Euros roadshow.
The free event is jam-packed with activities for all levels and families of all shapes and sizes.
We started the day watching Football Focus being broadcast live from Sheffield’s Peace Gardens, before looking around at the Euro Cup on show, checking out the VAR games and getting our faces painted.
The kids loved the keepy uppy challenge which encouraged them to take part in the football skills workshop.
As three shy girls on arrival, my daughters and their friend approached the event with caution unwilling to take part at first. But with gentle encouragement they started with colouring in the walls where they were doing face painting. Then seeing the challenges and video simulated games on offer my digitally native clan began to take part.
Once they had warmed up they then wanted to try the live demos and games. By the end of the day and two goody bags later and with an excited mama who posed by the real Euro Cup, the kids began dancing centre stage with the mascots as their Poh Poh (Chinese for Grandmother) who had by that time joined us watched on from the deckchairs.
Other than a lunch break we pretty much stayed for the whole event from 11-5 until we had to catch a train home.
It’s definitely worth attending one of the Roadshow to get a taste for this Summer of fun and football. My family left on a high and we were back playing football the next day.
All about the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow kicked off on 21 May, a free national Roadshow that which showcases the best of football, fitness and music, providing families, fans and those that are yet to experience football with the opportunity to get involved in an unmissable tournament.
- Route spans 800 miles with 10 stops across 43 days
- Special festival of football, fitness and music gives the opportunity for families and local communities to get involved in an unmissable event
- Featuring interactive challenges, an immersive TV studio, live music, trophy visit, showpiece football pitch and legend appearances
- The tournament kicks off at Old Trafford on 6 July with the final at Wembley Stadium on 31 July
We are definitely planning on watching the #WEURO2022 live!
You can buy tickets here: https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/ticketing/
All about the free national roadshows:
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 are hosting a free national Roadshow that showcases the best of football, fitness and music, providing families, fans and those that are yet to experience football with the opportunity to get involved in an unmissable tournament.
The family and local community-focused Roadshow will travel 800 miles, making 10 stops across 43 days, beginning on 21 May in Sheffield and finishing on 2 July in London – just a few days before the tournament’s opening match at Old Trafford.
As the Women’s EURO draws closer, organisers are aiming to inspire more communities, particularly young people and families, to encourage them to get involved in the biggest European women’s sport event in history.
The schedule includes visiting each of the tournament’s nine Host Cities, Brighton & Hove, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Trafford and Wigan & Leigh, where fans will be able to watch some of the best players in the world compete at a local stadium. The additional tenth stop will be at Elland Road, Leeds ahead of England Women’s friendly against Netherlands on 24 June.
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow (*times 11am – 5pm unless stated otherwise)
- Sheffield | Peace Gardens | 21 May
- Rotherham | Clifton Park | 22 May
- Manchester | Cathedral Gardens | 28 May
- Trafford | Trafford Centre | 30, 31 May and 1 June
- Wigan | Mesnes Park | 4 June [*11am – 4pm]
- Milton Keynes | Willen Lake | 5 June
- Southampton | West Quay Shopping Centre | 18 June
- Leeds | Elland Road | 24 June
- Brighton | Hove Promenade | 25 June
- London | Potters Field | 2 July [*10am – 4pm]
The UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow, supported by the BBC, demonstrates the scale and importance of this summer’s event and is part of a wider drive to introduce new fans to the women’s game to create a lasting legacy for women’s football – a key focus for UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
The free Roadshows will offer visitors an introduction to football, with a chance to learn new football skills and tricks as well as try matchday presenting and interviewing in a special TV studio. Featuring live music from local artists and a showpiece football pitch, alongside the opportunity to get a picture with the trophy itself, each event will provide a variety of fun for all the family.
Additionally, there will be lots of exciting opportunities to meet legends from the women’s game, take part in interactive challenges and find out more about getting involved in grassroots football, the tournament, and how to purchase tickets.
All Roadshow events are supported by Nike, Starling Bank and VISA. Visit the ‘Skill Zones’ arena to show off your tricks with balls and bibs provided by Nike. Visit the Starling Bank ‘Show Your Colours’ container to discover an artistic area where there will be murals to colour in, a chance to design your own shirts, footballs and flags and have your face painted. Stop by VISA’s Ticketing Booth to sign up for tickets, win prizes, and have your photo taken with the VISA trophy.
Yorkshire Families: Women’s Euros come to Yorkshire kicking off with a free roadshow
A free family roadshow is on tour, kicking off in Yorkshire, to celebrate the run-up to the women’s Euros.
Our football-loving founder Sophie Mei Lan headed to Sheffield for the first event full of keepy uppys, testing out digital games, dancing with mascots, inspiring role models and footballing celebrities to boot.
Sophie shares her personal story from campaigning at school for a girl’s football team to playing the sport as a young mum and now attending the Euros with her own daughters.
From starting a petition for a girl’s football team at my school in Sheffield to being back in my home city with my own daughters to kick off a free women’s Euros roadshow in the run-up to a record-breaking summer, has shown what a real transformation of how far we’ve come as society.
My first notable campaign (and writing experience) was in fact starting a petition at primary school to allow girls to play football and have their own team after being told by the headteacher that we couldn’t. I then got invited on a Sky Sports roadshow in which I won a competition against all boys. I have kept playing ever since, well when I can (albeit at the same level sadly to my 8-year-old self, which was good at the time but means I have struggled to compete as an adult).
When I joined a grassroots women’s team when moving to a part of Wakefield from Sheffield, I helped to start the club. it was much more about creating an accessible ‘movement’ of women come rain, shine, family, and life challenges than it was being the ‘best.’
From breastfeeding on the sidelines to attending church regularly muddy in the kit but with pride… it’s been a relief to see things have progressed to make sports more accessible in which we can all feel included aka a space to belong.
This love of football has continued to my own daughters playing football and then losing interest temporarily until we attended the Women’s Euros roadshow.
The free event is jam-packed with activities for all levels and families of all shapes and sizes.
We started the day watching Football Focus being broadcast live from Sheffield’s Peace Gardens, before looking around at the Euro Cup on show, checking out the VAR games and getting our faces painted.
The kids loved the keepy uppy challenge which encouraged them to take part in the football skills workshop.
As three shy girls on arrival, my daughters and their friend approached the event with caution unwilling to take part at first. But with gentle encouragement they started with colouring in the walls where they were doing face painting. Then seeing the challenges and video simulated games on offer my digitally native clan began to take part.
Once they had warmed up they then wanted to try the live demos and games. By the end of the day and two goody bags later and with an excited mama who posed by the real Euro Cup, the kids began dancing centre stage with the mascots as their Poh Poh (Chinese for Grandmother) who had by that time joined us watched on from the deckchairs.
Other than a lunch break we pretty much stayed for the whole event from 11-5 until we had to catch a train home.
It’s definitely worth attending one of the Roadshow to get a taste for this Summer of fun and football. My family left on a high and we were back playing football the next day.
All about the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow kicked off on 21 May, a free national Roadshow that which showcases the best of football, fitness and music, providing families, fans and those that are yet to experience football with the opportunity to get involved in an unmissable tournament.
- Route spans 800 miles with 10 stops across 43 days
- Special festival of football, fitness and music gives the opportunity for families and local communities to get involved in an unmissable event
- Featuring interactive challenges, an immersive TV studio, live music, trophy visit, showpiece football pitch and legend appearances
- The tournament kicks off at Old Trafford on 6 July with the final at Wembley Stadium on 31 July
We are definitely planning on watching the #WEURO2022 live!
You can buy tickets here: https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/ticketing/
All about the free national roadshows:
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 are hosting a free national Roadshow that showcases the best of football, fitness and music, providing families, fans and those that are yet to experience football with the opportunity to get involved in an unmissable tournament.
The family and local community-focused Roadshow will travel 800 miles, making 10 stops across 43 days, beginning on 21 May in Sheffield and finishing on 2 July in London – just a few days before the tournament’s opening match at Old Trafford.
As the Women’s EURO draws closer, organisers are aiming to inspire more communities, particularly young people and families, to encourage them to get involved in the biggest European women’s sport event in history.
The schedule includes visiting each of the tournament’s nine Host Cities, Brighton & Hove, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Trafford and Wigan & Leigh, where fans will be able to watch some of the best players in the world compete at a local stadium. The additional tenth stop will be at Elland Road, Leeds ahead of England Women’s friendly against Netherlands on 24 June.
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow (*times 11am – 5pm unless stated otherwise)
- Sheffield | Peace Gardens | 21 May
- Rotherham | Clifton Park | 22 May
- Manchester | Cathedral Gardens | 28 May
- Trafford | Trafford Centre | 30, 31 May and 1 June
- Wigan | Mesnes Park | 4 June [*11am – 4pm]
- Milton Keynes | Willen Lake | 5 June
- Southampton | West Quay Shopping Centre | 18 June
- Leeds | Elland Road | 24 June
- Brighton | Hove Promenade | 25 June
- London | Potters Field | 2 July [*10am – 4pm]
The UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow, supported by the BBC, demonstrates the scale and importance of this summer’s event and is part of a wider drive to introduce new fans to the women’s game to create a lasting legacy for women’s football – a key focus for UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
The free Roadshows will offer visitors an introduction to football, with a chance to learn new football skills and tricks as well as try matchday presenting and interviewing in a special TV studio. Featuring live music from local artists and a showpiece football pitch, alongside the opportunity to get a picture with the trophy itself, each event will provide a variety of fun for all the family.
Additionally, there will be lots of exciting opportunities to meet legends from the women’s game, take part in interactive challenges and find out more about getting involved in grassroots football, the tournament, and how to purchase tickets.
All Roadshow events are supported by Nike, Starling Bank and VISA. Visit the ‘Skill Zones’ arena to show off your tricks with balls and bibs provided by Nike. Visit the Starling Bank ‘Show Your Colours’ container to discover an artistic area where there will be murals to colour in, a chance to design your own shirts, footballs and flags and have your face painted. Stop by VISA’s Ticketing Booth to sign up for tickets, win prizes, and have your photo taken with the VISA trophy.
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Tournament Director, Chris Bryant said: “The UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow is a huge part of our commitment in ensuring that everyone can feel connected to this special tournament.
As we head towards the opening match in Trafford, excitement across the country is growing, so it’s great to be able to provide an opportunity for communities to join each other in supporting their local area and celebrating the women’s game.
We want to appeal to everyone, whether that be your regular football fan, or someone that has never given it a go before! Each Roadshow event will offer a chance to learn about the tournament in a fun environment, whilst trying out a few different skills from playing to presenting and with live music thrown it, they promise to be a great free day out for all the family.”
Running alongside the event is a series of exciting digital challenges as part of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow. The online challenges will launch on 17 May and onwards, providing people with a fun way to get involved and show their support for the Tournament on social media.
Tickets are on sale now for fans to experience a history making tournament that aims to unite football and communities and amplify the growth of the women’s game.
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Tournament Director, Chris Bryant said: “The UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow is a huge part of our commitment in ensuring that everyone can feel connected to this special tournament.
As we head towards the opening match in Trafford, excitement across the country is growing, so it’s great to be able to provide an opportunity for communities to join each other in supporting their local area and celebrating the women’s game.
We want to appeal to everyone, whether that be your regular football fan, or someone that has never given it a go before! Each Roadshow event will offer a chance to learn about the tournament in a fun environment, whilst trying out a few different skills from playing to presenting and with live music thrown it, they promise to be a great free day out for all the family.”
Running alongside the event is a series of exciting digital challenges as part of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Roadshow. The online challenges will launch on 17 May and onwards, providing people with a fun way to get involved and show their support for the Tournament on social media.
Tickets are on sale now for fans to experience a history making tournament that aims to unite football and communities and amplify the growth of the women’s game.
