Akhina Gaches

Photo by Jade Rey as part of the 2023 FIFA WWC ‘Momentum On’ campaign.

“I see Chelsea Women playing at Stamford Bridge rather than Kingsmeadow. I see Arsenal Women finally playing at Emirates Stadium. I only see that more often.”

⸺Who is Akhina Gaches?

Akhina is an Assistant Psychologist within the NHS.

“In 2009, I remember when watching it, there was nowhere to stream anything on… such a difference to come into this 2023 World Cup and actually be able to watch every single game on English channels. English public channels as well and not actually have to search for it.”

⸺What team/country do you support and why?

I support Fulham, England and France.

So my first match, my first men's game actually was Fulham when I came into England a couple years ago and I kind of fell in love with Craven Cottage. I fell in love with the supporters. I fell in love with the fans and then like atmosphere and then slowly after that I started watching Fulham. I mean, Fulham Women's is something you definitely can't see on TV. They're still in second division one in England. They're getting back up there.

I'm a season ticket holder for Craven Cottage, the men's team and the women's I try to watch as often as possible but unfortunately there is in the stadium which is all the way in New Malden so it's a bit further to get to because they play on the men's training ground.

⸺How long have you been watching women’s football and have you noticed any changes within the sport?

I've been watching women's football since I was little. I've been playing football for as long as I can remember and I've been watching women's football since as long as I can remember. The first major tournament I remember watching was the 2009 Euros. Even though it was an England v Germany final, not even private channels were broadcasting this English final. Yes, I remember having to find a Finnish channel with my dad who I'm lucky enough that my dad really supports women's football since I was little as well. We spent ages trying to find this channel just to watch a final that didn't even have Finland in it.

I think going into university and playing at a university club and getting to like get to surround myself with players that I and people that like football more than how I was in high school or like where I was before just because it was a lot different back then. I think when I got to university and I got to basically just meet people who also enjoyed football as much as I did. That's when I really started to watch football with my friends.

Whereas before it was majority my dad, my brother, my mom as well. So I went to Kings College London. I played for Kings College London first team. And it was such a good experience. I actually loved it. So I played there for four years. I captain the team in my last year. I was president of the club for a while as well. In those four years there was definite growth. I think I went in and there was only one and a half of the two teams. And then by the end of those four years we had at least four teams.

It was a growing, it was definitely a growing club and we actually ended on the feed at season.

So I can't say anything bad about it really.

⸺What impact do you think the 2022 Euros had on women and women’s football in general?

I was at the women's year as finals and I also went to the 2019 World Cup finals. And even just the 2019 and 2021 or 2020 even that was such a big difference. And it was crazy to see. I remember going to 2019. Yes it was still a quiet pack stadium.

But it wasn't the same level as Wembley. A packed Wembley Stadium is amazing to see. And I was so used to seeing like even in 2015 or 2011 those World Cups and the year 2009 euros. I remember seeing stadiums who were barely full. Even when I used to go to club games and the club games would be barely full. And being able to go to Wembley and see an entirely packed out stadium was possibly the best thing ever.

“I remember being 15 and being teased by boys for liking football, and now I have a 15 year old little brother who tells me about the women’s games, all the transfer rumors. It’s definitely changed.”

⸺What actions do you think could be made to encourage more diverse younger girls to continue playing and support our current players?

I think it's there's definitely like a need for representation not only in the Premier League but also in like big teams in the World Cup. Big teams like Canada, America, England and Germany have been teams that have put so much backing in the World Cup and have massive immigration rates, and yet somehow manage to put up a starting 11 with minimal amount of black, brown or any ethnic group.

You can look at a team like France who has sort of the same backing and can kind of be put up there with them. And you'll see that their team is actually almost majority black brown players. So I don't really understand what the US and Canada and Germany or England are doing like are not doing.

There's obviously something that's going going wrong somewhere.

⸺How do you view the future of women's football?

I only see women's football going getting bigger. I see women's football filling out stadiums.

I see women finally having access to the same stadiums.

I see Chelsea Women playing at Stamford Bridge rather than Kingsmeadow. I see Arsenal Women finally playing at Emirates Stadium. And it is getting bigger slowly and slowly.

I mean I think both Arsenal and Chelsea have said that have agreed on like five games at both of their bigger stadiums per season. And I only see that getting more often and finally sharing or finally making another stadium that is equally as accessible or equally as big.