The Lionesses are killing it – but our support for women’s sport shouldn’t only be dependent on success

You can feel it in the atmosphere, hear it whispered in the breeze – football’s coming home. But actually, this time.  

England’s unstoppable march through the stages of the Women’s Euros this summer has been a joy to witness. Gaining confidence and conviction in each round, the Lionesses’ 4-0 demolition of Sweden secured their place in the final and brings them one step closer to making history at Wembley.  

As a seasoned women’s sport fan, seeing the swelling wave of support for these athletes has been both exciting and encouraging. Twitter threads waxing lyrical about the breathtaking beauty of Alessia Russo’s back-heel, Ian Wright telling the world this is as proud as he has ever been ‘of any England side’, the backpages of the papers rightfully plastered with joyful images of the game’s brightest stars.   

The ripples of enthusiasm spread far beyond our social media bubbles too. England’s semi-final triumph gained a peak audience of 9.3million viewers on BBC One – making it one of the most-watched television broadcasts of the year.

A little girl in the crowd captured the nation’s hearts as she danced in delirious celebration. The players stayed on the pitch 20 minutes after the final whistle because fans simply couldn’t get enough of them.    

The country is well and truly behind this England squad – and I love to see it. But as we approach the final against Germany, I am also filled with anxiety. I worry that a loss would not only mean heartbreak for this campaign, but could also undo the vital steps forward – in terms of exposure, recognition and support – that have been made over the last few years.  

It’s a concern that is unique to women’s sports fans. 

Beyond the media hype, the giant billboards and the deafening