England will bid for Women's Euro 2021 following the "success of this year's competition in the Netherlands," the FA announced, according to Jack Austin of the London INDEPENDENT. The Lionesses have, "across the last two major tournaments, captured the attention of the nation with their run" to the semifinals of the 2015 World Cup in Canada and Women's Euro 2017. The bid comes as the FA looks to "grow the number of women taking up football in England" by '21. FA CEO Martin Glenn said, "The Lionness' performances at the Euros this summer gave the country great pride. It also showed the significant impact that hosting a major European tournament can have on growing and developing women's football." England's semifinal defeat by tournament host the Netherlands generated a peak audience of 4 million viewers in the U.K. The competition was UEFA's "biggest ever female tournament in terms of audience" (INDEPENDENT, 8/9). The PA reported part of the FA's strategy includes a bid to host a major int'l women's tournament "with a showpiece final at Wembley." The U.K. government "pledged its support for the FA's intended bid and will also take a keen interest in the project." U.K. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said, "Hosting the next European Championships would provide us with a great opportunity to further grow the game and attract the next generation of players and fans" (PA, 8/9).
