Euro 2022 Delight Sparks Boom Time For English Women's Football

Euro 2022 began with organisers defending the choice of small venues, but 25 days later a record European Championship attendance of 87,192 at Wembley for the final witnessed England at last win a major international tournament. The Lionesses' legacy could change the face of the women's game in England for future generations. A record television audience for a women's football match in the UK of 17.4 million tuned in to watch Sunday's tense 2-1 victory in extra time over Germany, as Chloe Kelly scored the winner.

Sarina Wiegman's squad changed perceptions on top of winning the hearts of the host nation.

An Ipsos poll published on Monday found that 44 percent of the British public -- and 64 percent of football fans -- said they are more interested in watching women's football following Euro 2022.

England's women now have a platform their predecessors could only dream of and they used it to push the message of equality off the pitch.

"In most workplaces across the world, women still have a few more battles to face," said captain Leah Williamson.

"For every change of judgement or perception or opening the eyes of somebody who views women as somebody with the potential to be equal to her male counterpart, I think that makes change in society.

"That's a powerful message that we have the power to send, in a typically male-dominated environment."

There remains a huge income gap for women's football to close on the men's game.

Prize money of 16 million euros ($17 million) for the 16 competing teams at Euro 2022 pales in comparison with the 331 million euros handed out to the 24 nations at the men's Euro 2020 last year.

UEFA defended that gulf by saying they would make a "significant loss" in running the tournament due to a