University of Brighton lands prestige role for UEFA Women’s EURO 2022

University of Brighton will host one of the leading teams playing in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 football tournament which kicks off this Wednesday. England face Austria in the opening match at Old Trafford in Manchester on 6 July, before heading south to face two-time tournament winners Norway at Brighton & Hove Community Stadium on 11 July.

University of Brighton is the only university in the UK to be selected as a host training venue, having previously played host to a range of national and international sports teams keen to take advantage of its excellent sporting facilities, including Samoa and South Africa for the 2015 Men’s Rugby World Cup.

The team being hosted for the Euros – whose identity is under wraps until the start of the tournament – will train at the University’s Falmer campus, taking advantage of top-level sports facilities including grass pitches, artificial and hard court surfaces, plus a multi-court sports hall, gym and studios.

Involvement in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 will also provide a unique opportunity for University of Brighton students taking part in mentoring and coaching development programmes. By 2024, these aspire to doubling the number of FA-qualified female coaches and referees to take the game forward across Sussex, building on the surge of interest in women’s football at all levels.

Barry Squires, Head of Sport at University of Brighton, said: “Everyone at the University of Brighton is incredibly excited and looking forward to hosting one of the top women’s national teams over the next few weeks. Our Falmer campus is the perfect location for elite sport training and we have been working hard to ensure everything is in place for their stay.

“Our engagement with the Euros also extends off the pitch to support the lasting legacy that the tournament offers to inspire the next generation of players and fans in Brighton & Hove. For us at the University of Brighton this has focused around upskilling our students in football coaching and leadership, as well as staff engaging in the collective work that the local legacy group has been delivering to inspire and improve women and girls’ football.”

Brighton & Hove Community Stadium – which sits alongside the University of Brighton’s campus at Falmer (top picture) – will host three matches during the tournament, including the group game between Austria and Norway on 15 July, and a quarter-final on 20 July, as well as the England v Norway game on 11 July.

University of Brighton will play a key role as part of the wider city community in creating a legacy around women’s football after the tournament is finished. The University’s Sport Brighton programme has collaborated with Sussex Football Association in delivering the UEFA women’s Euro legacy plan, aiming to ensure that hosting the tournament inspires wider community benefits alongside increased participation in football by women and girls.

Ahead of the Euros kick-off, Sport Brighton has already supported nearly 40 aspiring female coaches to attend coaching workshops, with two students receiving mentoring for the next coaching award available as part of their development, along with registered UEFA qualification.

Other female students at the University have supported local school football festivals and volunteered at after-school clubs across Brighton and Hove. Students have also been delivering female football sessions as part of the university’s recreational sports programme, Parklife.