British-born Francesca Bunting aiming to play for Brazil

[Eddie]

17 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Women's football international attendances dwarf those in RL, and pre-pandemic their club crowds were starting to get to the level that wouldn't have looked out of place in the lower reaches of SL. Let's not cry equality-gone-mad on the one hand while screaming for equal coverage of RL in the other.

Because there are enormous amounts of free tickets and millions of pounds thrown at it, and as you say it’s internationals so can’t be compared to SL. 

[Leyther_Matt]

17 hours ago, Eddie said:

When I go on the bbc football page there are always headlines about women’s football, in fact there were two about the northern Irish women’s team at the same time a couple of weeks ago. Call me a cynic but I don’t think massive amounts of people log onto the bbc football website to read about that. 

 

17 hours ago, Eddie said:

Because there are enormous amounts of free tickets and millions of pounds thrown at it, and as you say it’s internationals so can’t be compared to SL. 

I can tell you from first hand experience that you are underestimating the genuine popularity of women's football, and indeed how that has been reflected in participation numbers and even those who don't necessarily follow the men's game. In fact, they could be seen as a big lesson in so many aspects where RL has been left behind over the last 10-15 years.

[Eddie]

18 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

 

I can tell you from first hand experience that you are underestimating the genuine popularity of women's football, and indeed how that has been reflected in participation numbers and even those who don't necessarily follow the men's game. In fact, they could be seen as a big lesson in so many aspects where RL has been left behind over the last 10-15 years.

Have you ever heard anyone, even once, mention the women’s club game?

[Leyther_Matt]

1 minute ago, Eddie said:

Have you ever heard anyone, even once, mention the women’s club game?

Yes, absolutely. The fanbase of each club is surprisingly dedicated. Again, in some ways there are similarities to RL with the proportion of women and children compared to men's football, and also a collective spirit to promote the game as a whole rather than necessarily individual clubs (not that that's particularly evident in RL these days).

[MidlandsJohn]

It's just a shame Brazil and Cook Islands aren't in the same group, because I would have liked to seen "Baz & Tez" as the commentary team then laugh at them butchering the surnames for 80 minutes.