FA execs hope that a successful England bid to host Women's Euro 2021 "will help to persuade" ManU to launch a women’s team, according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. ManU is the "only Premier League side not to have a women's team playing at some level," and the FA believes that "the growth of the game" will make the club change its mind. The bid for Euro 2021 was announced at Wembley on Wednesday. FA CEO Martin Glenn said that a successful '21 bid may convince ManU that the time is "right to launch a women's team." Glenn: "Half the population is female and they like football. Getting them on board is a good commercial thing to do, as well as the right thing to do. We think the Women's Super League is going to continue to attract clubs into it" (LONDON TIMES, 8/10). In London, Jack Austin reported the FA "denied suggestions" it is bidding to host Euro 2021 "as part of a grander plan" to host a men's major tournament. The organization instead hopes that the move will inspire ManU to "finally form a women's team." Women's football is "already expected to overtake netball in popularity by next year and it is that buzz" that the FA wants to capitalize on. Glenn: "Women's football is one of the FA's priorities and in terms of things we could have bid for, this is the one that seemed to make the most sense. It's not part of a bigger game plan, it just made sense. We'd love to stage a World Cup and a Euros in future, every big country would, but this is not a stepping stone, this is an objective in its own right to drive the women's game." Glenn hopes that a winning English bid for Euro 2021 will open ManU's eyes to "the plethora of commercial opportunities available in the women's game" (INDEPENDENT, 8/10). In London, Ben Rumsby reported Glenn revealed the FA "would submit a nationwide bid" for the '21 event, "pledging to hold matches at Wembley," with an intention for other fixtures to be played at Premier League grounds. He said of ManU, "They're a smart organization and I think the incentives for competing in the Super League are going to continue to grow. So, I think they will, in time, figure out it's in their interest to do it" (TELEGRAPH, 8/9).
