Inspired by the Lionesses’ historic win?

Find out more about historical achievements of women in football in London, featuring women from Brent (London Borough of Culture 2020), Hounslow and Ealing at these fantastic exhibitions.

Last Sunday, the nation turned into football fanatics at the achievement of Beth Mead, Jill Scott, Leah Williamson and their England teammates. We gasped at Alessia Russo’s backheel goal against Sweden and roared as Chloe Kelly scored in the last ten minutes against Germany spiralling her shirt over her head like US footballer Brandi Chastain whose goal in 1999 changed how women’s sport was seen in the across the pond just like Kelly’s celebration have here.

The match against Germany was played at a sold-out Wembley Stadium, the centre of England’s football universe, which also sits in the London Borough of Brent, the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture 2020. West London plays an important part in the history of women’s football, not just the setting for ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ but also the birthplace of the Greater London Women’s Football League who celebrate their 50th anniversary this year and the two exhibitions ‘Women of the Match’ and ‘Offside’ where you can delve into the history and important moments and people in the game.

Opposite Wembley Stadium is Brent Civic Centre and the ‘Women of the Match’ exhibition portraits of women involved in football in Brent by Roy Mehta. These include Manisha Tailor, Assistant Head of Coaching at QPR and ex-Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal star Eartha Pond. The images are accompanied by memorabilia, football kits and trophies. The exhibition runs until 6 November.

Until 9 October, a hop on the 440 bus to Gunnersbury Park will take you to the Gunnersbury Park Museum to see the exhibition Offside: Women’s Football in West London & Beyond. This exhibition explores the roles of West London’s first football club for Afghan and Muslim girls, Abresham Girls FC as well as the first out Lesbian team and Brentford Football Club’s Griffin Park FC and the origins of ‘Bend it Like Beckham’.

You can also learn more about the 50 years of the Greater London Football league on the FA’s website and in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Memory Films. Below is testimony from Gil Jones who played for District Line Ladies (now London Bees) a team that replaced the London Transport Women’s Football Team in 1975 and played in Hounslow. Yet another connection between West London and Women’s Football!