The English FA is planning to put together a women’s football team for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Great Britain didn’t field a team in Rio in 2016, which was because the home nation football associations couldn’t come to an agreement but Tokyo, the English FA claims, will be different.
The English FA were the ones who put forward to idea of a women’s team GB for Rio 2016. However, Stewart Regan, the Scottish FA’s chief executive, believed it could negatively impact future international tournaments, such as the World Cup that’s just passed, since all home nations would be entering separately.
While the Welsh FA were also pro-team GB, the Irish FA agreed with the Scottish.
Therefore, since all four home nation football associations couldn’t agree, no team could be formed.
While neither Irish or Scottish FA are exactly thrilled with the idea now, they’ve agreed to allow it to happen.
“They’re not going to actively support us, but they’re not going to stand in the way,” FA chief executive Martin Glenn told BBC Sport.
“We’ve worked really hard with the other home nations to get them behind the idea that a British team would be good for football both in England but also in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“We were very disappointed that for the Brazil Olympics we couldn’t put in a British team because, for women’s football, Olympic tournaments are disproportionately important compared to men’s football.”
Team GB made their debut at the London 2012 Olympics, with Casey Stoney donning the captain’s armband.
They won three out of their five fixtures, only drawing their opening game against Sweden and losing in the quarter-final to Canada 2-0.
The entire squad during the 2012 was follows:
- Karen Bardsley (Linköping)
- Rachel Brown (Everton)
- Alex Scott (Arsenal)
- Steph Houghton (Arsenal)
- Sophie Bradley (Lincoln)
- Casey Stoney (Lincoln)
- Ifeoma Dieke (Vittsjö GIK)
- Claire Rafferty (Chelsea)
- Dunia Susi (Chelsea)
- Jill Scott (Everton)
- Fara Williams (Everton)
- Kim Little (Arsenal)
- Anita Asante (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC)
- Karen Carney (Birmingham)
- Ellen White (Arsenal)
- Kelly Smith (Arsenal)
- Rachel Yankey (Arsenal)
- Eniola Aluko (Birmingham)
- Rachel Williams (Birmingham)
Arsenal and Everton dominated team GB back in 2012 and while there will be some changes in 2020 – for example, Kelly Smith has retired – it’ll still be a strong side.