England will host and participate in a brand new four-team invitational tournament which is set to begin in February 2022.
The four-team tournament has been created and will be delivered by long-term FA partner, Pitch International and will provide ‘world-class’ opposition for the Lionesses. It has been revealed that both Germany and Spain will appear in the 2022 edition with a further opponent to be added in due course.
The Football Association advised FAWSL Full-Time of the news via an official press release earlier today. The tournament will be played out with three double-header matches staged across seven days in a round-robin format. More details of the inaugural competition, including venues and ticket information, will be released in the coming weeks.
The new tournament will provide England with some top quality competition following a period without a regular flow of testing international fixtures as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The 2022 edition will also act as perfect preparation for the home EUROs next summer.
Commenting on the announcement, Baroness Sue Campbell, director of women’s football at The FA, said “This exciting new addition to the international calendar promises to further accelerate the rapid growth we are already seeing in women’s football.
“Giving England fans the opportunity to see their team take on some of the best opposition in the world on an annual basis will create substantial interest, leading to a broader fanbase and strengthening grassroots participation. It will also provide the
England team with the best preparation heading into the major tournaments over the next four years.
“Pitch International is a world-leader in organising events, has a superb track-record in women’s football, and is perfectly placed to lead the delivery of this new tournament.”
England return to competitive action tomorrow evening when they face North Macedonia in Southampton in their opening qualifying match for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023.
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