Tallulah Cope

“It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, it's an exciting time for women's football and to be involved.”

⸺Who is Tallulah Cope?

I am currently returning from living in Italy where I worked for a sport’s tour operator based in the mountains. I am relocating to London where I am about to start a job within the footballing industry doing partnerships for MatchWornShirt. I’ve played sports all my life so I used to play football a little when I was younger, but I mainly concentrated on hockey and so haven’t played for a while. On my return to London, I am most definitely looking to join a grassroots team and play again.

⸺What team/country do you support and why?

I was born into an Arsenal obsessed family and so naturally I am a gooner through and through. As I grow, my love for Arsenal grows. It’s a big family, inclusive and they are extremely creative which I love. I am fully English and so the lionesses are my national team.

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

I’ve watched women’s football for a while but only closely followed it for the last three years. The leaps and bounds within the game are incredible to watch. From empty seats to filling up stadiums with regular games at big venues. It’s a really exciting time for women’s football and I don’t think we have even begun.

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

I think the Euros are responsible for being a big driving force for women’s football. There is no doubt that there are the die hard ‘veteran’ women’s football followers but you can’t deny that the Euros was responsible for introducing the game to a large amount of new followers. Not only this, I think it made women’s football more accessible.

With so little coverage and noise, it’s been hard to follow women’s football and so I think that accumatively over the years, this has made it less easily available to many and so, less attractive. With thanks to the Euros and the success of the lionesses, it most certainly engrossed a larger audience, gained more coverage and in turn became more reachable.

I also believe with more noise surrounding the game, a higher level of girls are not as intimidated to speak about it and be a fan. This can be a problem in the footballing field – a fear of being judged.

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

Most simply, I think we need to continue to promote what’s happening – use platforms to shout more about women’s football, the successes of our current players and what benefits it can provide to individuals.

But additionally, and most understandably, it would be great to see more funding to go into the field. We are seeing the surge of record signings for example, but they still aren’t common and still are incredibly low in terms of money within men’s football. Any steps towards a more level playing field will render the game increasingly accessible to young girls who wish to pursue a career in football.

Also (which is slowly happening), we must make it a welcoming community. Football isn’t a ‘man’s game’. It’s imperative to continue as a community and make the beautiful game an inclusive and friendly area to enter for younger generations to want to be part of it – and feel like they can.

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

The wheels have started to turn within female’s football. We are seeing an increasing quantity of platforms and chat dedicated to women in the game. Platforms such as thisgirlcan and indivisa are provide a healthy space for females to have a voice in the male dominated industry; encouraging and promoting more females to participate in and pursue a career that they previously did not believe was accessible. Simple guides on how to understand the game, follow the tournament and get involved, all making the game less daunting to everyone – even those who don’t want to play.

They shine focus on grassroots teams and creators, journalists and influencers in the industry. The football cultural environment is ever-growing, full of innovation that inspires, and these platforms exemplify what it means to work together as a community, share stories, and collaborate on and off the pitch. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, it's an exciting time for women's football and to be involved.

I am so grateful to have the passion I do for it and will continue to write, be involved and follow it for as long as I can. The future is bright. I think we are a long way off parity with men’s football but a sure of a lot closer and on the right track.