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Friday, September 12, 2025

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‘Match of the Dames’ celebrates women in

football

A new ‘Match of the Dames’ campaign is being introduced to the grassroots football community as the Essex County FA highlight the inspiring initiative which is designed to shine a spotlight on the incredible women who make football happen at every level of the game.

Launched in collaboration with Altrincham FC, the Match of the Dames project is a celebration of the women involved in football both on and off the pitch - from coaches and players to volunteers, referees, club staff and supporters. And there are free tickets available at two local clubs for women who have never attended a football match before.

The campaign will include four spotlight fixtures involving Essex-based clubs Braintree Town and Southend United during the 2025-26 season, as the two sides join forces with Altrincham to promote greater visibility, opportunity and recognition for women in the game.

Each of these fixtures will be used as a platform to tell the stories of local women in football, celebrate their achievements, raise awareness of opportunities, and inspire the next generation of girls and women to get involved in the game.

The wider campaign is looking to get 20 new fans along to 20 National League games this season where Altrincham are involved - half home, half away. Match of the Dames is looking to recruit 20 local women (where Altrincham are away, including at Braintree and Southend) who have never been to a game at their local non-league club, and tickets are free.

From pitchside presentations and community engagement activities to social media takeovers and special guest appearances, these matches will be packed with moments which showcase the power of football to bring people together.

Essex County FA Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Walshe, explained: “We’re thrilled to support the Match of the Dames campaign. This is a powerful way to highlight the important role women play at all levels of our game and to connect communities through shared interests. It’s fantastic to have two local clubs involved in this project.”

Visit www.matchofthedames.co.uk for more information about the campaign, to get involved or to keep an eye out for more information in the lead-up to each game. You can also share your story by interacting with the Essex County FA on social media.

Essex-Linked ‘Match of the Dames’ Fixtures

Saturday 25th October: Braintree Town vs Altrincham

Saturday 22nd November: Southend United vs Altrincham

Saturday 21st February: Altrincham vs Braintree Town

Saturday 21st March: Altrincham vs Southend United