Birmingham County FA are proud to announce their recent development of the ‘Birmingham Girls Community Development League’. 

The League is designed to provide a playing platform for over 70 youth girls to play affiliated football for the first time, and is focused on targeting players from an ethnic diverse background who would traditionally not play in mainstream football due to lack of confidence and accessibility.

The League facilitates two age groups, and is played once a month at a central venue. The games are played at Heartlands Academy, which helps breakdown the travel barriers for some teams to play ‘away’ games. Birmingham FA with their Talent ID innovation funding supported the League by providing players with jerseys, shin pads and sport Hijabs for players from a Muslim background.

Asha Rage, who is the director of Dream Chaser Youth Club and has a team playing in the league said: “Having been involved in football for many years, seeing these young girls finally get their chance to play, even in a small league, was profoundly touching. This isn’t merely a game, its a cherished opportunity, a dream come true for them and indeed for me. This resonates deeply in my heart. Massive thank you to the County FA and everyone involved for making this possible”.

The Birmingham FA have already started the consultation process for next season and are looking to work with other organisations and clubs to expand the age group and recruit more teams. We are also looking to develop a similar platform in other areas of Birmingham, including Coventry and Sandwell.