Everything on women's football

In the Netherlands, women's football isn't taken very seriously. Especially the gents consider it to be a man's game and think that women can't play football. Nevertheless the game of women's football has a long history.

History

One of the first footballclubs for women which was founded was called British Ladies Football Club, in 1894. Nettie Honeyball and Florence Dixie wanted to use the club as living proof of the fact that women could play football. Another team from that era was Dick Kerr's Ladies. The same Florence Dixie arranged that the team could tour through Scotland. The matches that were played during that tour drew a big crowd.

The British Football associations didn't take women's football very seriously and even wanted to ban it. This didn't happen, but in 1921 it became prohibited for women to play on the same pitches as members of the football association. After this ban, the matches were often played on rugby pitches. The ban of 1921 was not lifted until 1971. That same year the UEFA decided dat all European football associations had to incorporate women's football.

Women's football in the Netherlands

Dutch Footballclub OVV was the founder of the first women's football squad in 1924, but there were not enough teams to play against. After the war, this changed rapidly. More clubs were founded and in 1955 a nationwide league started. Fourteen clubs from all around the country participated in this league.

From 1954 onwards the men started to play professional football. The women had to wait until the year 2006. That is when FC Twente started up a professional women's football squad. In 2007 plans were made for a premier league for women and since the season of 2007/2008 this premier league is a fact. ADO Den Haag, AZ, FC Twente, FC Utrecht, sc Heerenveen and Willem II were the first clubs to compete. Roda JC also participated one season. Since the start of the 2010/2011 season, FC Zwolle and VVV Venlo also participate in the league. All clubs play each other three times instead of two times.

The women's European Championship 

Since 1984 the UEFA organises the EC for women. At first the EC took place every two years, since 1997 it takes place every four years. Germany has already won the EC seven times. The Netherlands reached the semi-final in 2009, which it lost to England.

The women's World Cup

Just as with the men, the FIFA organises a WC for women every four years. This tournament was held in 1991 for the first time. Twelve nations competed in that tournament. From the year 1999 on, sixteen nations were allowed to compete, which should be 24 in 2015. In 2007 the German women's team became champion for the second time. In 2011 they will be the host of the World Cup.

Sources: www.todio.nl