The upcoming months are witnessing a notable series of elite women’s sporting events, often referred to by British media as the “women’s summer of sport.” This unprecedented array of competitions aims to inspire young girls across the country.

Hannah Morrell, Trust Consultant Teacher for Sport at the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), emphasizes the significance of this summer, stating, “It’s such a lovely clash of major women’s team sport events over the next few months. The summer of sport provides a key opportunity for our students to look up to their role models and feel proud of the sportswomen they see competing in these pivotal tournaments – you really need to see it to be it.”

UEFA Women’s Euro 2025: The Lionesses Defend Their Title

The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 is underway in Switzerland, concluding on July 27. England, the reigning champions from their historic 2022 triumph, will face tough competition. The final at Wembley attracted over 17 million viewers in the UK, highlighting the sport’s unifying power.

With ticket sales exceeding half a million, this tournament is expected to break attendance records, reflecting the growing popularity and commercial viability of women’s football. According to Morrell, the impact of such tournaments on grassroots participation is substantial: “Following the 2022 Euros, the boost to girls’ and women’s football participation has just been amazing.”

Looking ahead, the upcoming Women’s Super League season, starting in September, will showcase the independent London City Lionesses, the first women’s grassroots club to ascend to the top tier, further expanding professional opportunities.

Women’s Rugby World Cup: A Growing Sport

The Women’s Rugby World Cup will take place in England from August 22 to September 27, concluding at the iconic Twickenham. The tournament has seen an increase in teams, with 16 participating, and is expected to build on New Zealand’s status as the defending champion and England’s top ranking.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has launched the ‘Impact 25’ program, aiming to increase female rugby participation to 100,000 players by 2027. Currently, there are around 40,000 active female players at approximately 800 clubs. Morrell states, “Rugby is definitely a growing sport here at GDST,” emphasizing a flourishing interest, especially at the junior levels.

Exciting Developments in Netball

In the realm of netball, the recent success of the London Pulse at the Grand Final highlights the sport’s growing appeal in the Netball Super League. The revamped competition format and the international success of the Vitality Roses have sparked renewed excitement.

The Rise of Women’s Cricket

This summer, women’s cricket will also shine, featuring a Test series against the West Indies and the ongoing success of The 100 tournament. Following this, the Women’s Cricket World Cup will occur in India from September 30 to November 2.

The growth of women’s cricket is evident, with a reported 150% increase in girls participating in the sport since 2019. “Cricket is another women’s sport that’s grown massively, especially in the last six years,” says Morrell, underlining the increasing opportunities for female cricketers.

Creating an Inspiring Legacy

As this remarkable summer progresses, Morrell envisions a renewed motivation among GDST girls to explore a variety of sports come autumn. “There’s an outward growth of confidence within women and girls both watching and playing all these sports. I think this is such an exciting time to be a female athlete – we’re truly inspiring the next generation of sportswomen.”

The enthusiasm generated across GDST sports fields is set to lead to further successes in the coming academic year and beyond.