FIRST Women IN Football

Football is generally perceived as a men’s sport, but this is not true. Yes, every single commercial in every single country features a male football player, but there are female players, too. Let’s take a look at first women in football.

When it comes to first women in football, it looks like Scotland is the place to go. In as early as 18^th century, there were football matches between female teams. In fact, the matches would be between married females and single females. Males would watch the game and try to find a suitable bride. It looks like football was a match-maker at the time.

There is no evidence of female football players in 18^th England, but the country is famous for its football fanaticism. You know what? The fanaticism of England was the main reason for Football League (1885) to think of involving females, too.

In England, football was such a serious matter that the supporters would often fight with each other. In order to prevent that and avoid such extreme support, Football League first tried to limit the audience to public schools only and later, they increased the admission fee to limit the access of poorer social classes.

As their prejudice against poorer classes was not true (obviously, you cannot define someone by the amount of money they have) and fights continued, the League thought it would be a good idea to involve women. After all, males always behaved when there was a lady nearby. So there you go: free entry for women.

Well, they thought only a few women would show up, but no, in the first game there were more than 2,000 women present. Football became so popular amongst women that they had to cancel free entry for them. But women were already in love with this sport and in 23^rd March 1895, first official match played by women took place.

Vocabulary

Class: Social class

Entry: A fee that you pay to enter somewhere

Obviously: A point or idea very clear and easy to understand

Limit: To decrease something in number

Involve: To engage

Questions

According to the passage, what can be said about the first female football matches?

1. They were very harsh
2. They were used as a sort of matchmaking
3. They were between single female teams
4. They were between married female teams.

According to the passage, why the entry fee was free to women in England?

1. Because women had no income
2. Because man wanted to see beautiful women
3. Because it was free for everyone
4. Because the presence of women would prevent fights

What happened in 23^rd March 1895?

1. Married women played against single women
2. Single women played against married women
3. Men played against women for the first time
4. A full women team played football officially for the first time

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(2) They were used as a sort of matchmaking

(4) Because the presence of women would prevent fights

(4) A full women team played football officially for the first time
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