Eni Aluko believes greater fan engagement can help stimulate a culture change in women’s football in 2016.
The England forward has had the most memorable year of her career after returning home from Canada with Women’s World Cup bronze before winning a historic league and FA Cup double with Chelsea Ladies.
Aluko admitted there has been a vast change in attitudes towards the women’s game in England and says it is essential to build on that in years to come.
“I think exposure for fans now is really important,” Aluko said on Tuesday.
“Fans need to know when the games are on, on a consistent basis and the fan base needs to be really engaged.
“I think women’s football has done really well with social media, engaging fans digitally, but now we have to make sure fans repeatedly come to games to really create a culture of coming to women’s football, as there is in the men’s game.
“There are generations of people that have always gone to men’s games. If your grandad has gone and your dad’s gone, a young boy can look at those previous generations and know that it is normal for the family and I think we can create that in women’s football.
“We really need to do a good job of making it consistent so that we can engage the fans.”
The role of women in the game across the globe was also handed a boost by football’s world governing body FIFA last month. Reforms were approved for a new 36-member FIFA Council to replace the existing Executive Committee, featuring at least one woman from each of the six major football confederations.
In addition, sports minister Tracey Crouch has announced a 25 per cent target of women on the boards of governing bodies by 2017 – a move that Aluko welcomes.
“That can only positively affect the interests of women’s football and women’s sport in general,” the 28-year-old said.
“You have to have that representation at the decision-making level because otherwise we can’t expect women’s football or women’s sport to be put at the top of the agenda.”
