England to host new annual Women’s International Tournament | OneFootball

Jennifer Hermoso of Spain and Alex Greenwood of England at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup. (Photo: Lynne Cameron for The FA)

England will welcome three of the world’s top sides next February for the first staging of a new annual invitational women’s tournament.

The Lionesses will be joined by Germany and Spain, both also ranked in FIFA’s top ten, in the 2022 edition – with the fourth competing nation to be announced soon.

Fans will be treated to three double-header matches played across seven days in a round-robin format.

More details for the inaugural competition, including venues and ticket information, will be released in the coming weeks.

The annual tournament will significantly boost England’s international calendar and ensure Sarina Wiegman’s squad regularly face world-class opposition, starting with the build-up to next summer’s UEFA Women’s EURO on home soil and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.

World Cup qualifying begins on Friday night at home to North Macedonia in Southampton. Further information can be found at thefa.com/tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at the stadium on arrival.

Baroness Sue Campbell, director of women’s football at The FA, said: “This exciting new addition to the international calendar promises to further accelerate the rapid growth we are already seeing in women’s football.

“Giving England fans the opportunity to see their team take on some of the best opposition in the world on an annual basis will create substantial interest, leading to a broader fanbase and strengthening grassroots participation. It will also provide the England team with the best preparation heading into the major tournaments over the next four years.

“Pitch International is a world-leader in organising events, has a superb track-record in women’s football, and is perfectly placed to lead the delivery of this new tournament.”

Pitch International, a London-based sports marketing agency, created the tournament concept and has an agreement with The FA through to 2025 to manage all aspects of the tournament.

Cat Watson, director of women’s sport at Pitch International, said: “We have seen first-hand the increased appetite for top quality women’s football through our distribution of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.

“We’re excited to be building on our commitment to women’s football, by investing in and delivering a new tournament featuring the best teams and players from around the world, that will be broadcast to a global audience.”

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