England Women's Football:
A Pioneering Past
Mexico 1971
The first unofficial Women's World Cup.
1971 Mexico Women's World Cup mascot, Xochitl.
The Women’s World Cup held in Mexico, 1971, boasted comprehensive press coverage, massive sponsorship deals and packed-out stadiums. But the England side were having to face a bigger competition on home soil surrounding their trip.
The unofficial England team at the time, stepped off the plane after touching down in Mexico City. Young England star, 13-year-old Leah Caleb recalled one of her teammates turning to her and exclaiming, “there must be someone special here.” Caleb reminisces, “it was us” as the team was greeted by swathes of fans in the airport, itching to catch a glimpse of the tournament’s stars.
The matches themselves proved a huge success. Stadiums adorned with massive brands such as Martini & Rissu and Carta Blanca also sold a range of paraphernalia including pin badges, magazines, and programmes that featured the tournament mascot, Xochitl. Appealing the female and family audience, the pitches goalposts were painted pink and white, and the tournament staff were kitted out in distinctive pink outfits.
The size and success of the tournament can be attributed to the organisers promoting the women’s tournament the same as the men’s tournament that took place less than a year before. They did not anticipate sporting or commercial failure and took the risk of selling the women’s competition to be just as big as the men’s.
Photograph showcasing the pink and white goalposts that were played with during the 1971 Mexico World Cup.
What was the impact of the tournament back in England?
Not backed by any footballing association, Mexico ’71 was an eye-opening event for the FA. Originally banned from playing for 3 months prior to the event, the FA quickly realised they were being unconventional. Many players at the time believe that the team’s participation in Mexico played a key part in the FA eventually lifting the 50-year ban only a year later.
Although the English side were unable to prove themselves on the pitch, losing both of their matches to Mexico and Argentina, they walked out to a crowd of 90,000 in the Azteca Stadium when facing the host country. This showcased to the FA that the team could bring in a crowd and as a result, finance with the correct marketing. However, one man stood in the way of an amicable journey with the FA surrounding the tournament.
England manager at the time, Harry Batt, was a part of the first governing body which became the Women’s Football Association (WFA) in 1969. Batt struggled to maintain good relations with the WFA due to his ambitious vision for the development of women’s football. He made contacts in Europe to gain invitations to unofficial events and tournaments to put England women’s football on the map. As a result, many of the squad’s players moved to Italy to play in their professional league.
This angered the WFA as it was in the process of piecing together its own official national side, ruled under the governing body, and therefore stunted the WFA’s team growth even more.
During the Mexico World Cup, the English team, called the British independents, did not wear the Three Lions to appease the WFA’s antics.
Disappointingly, home media coverage largely disappeared after England’s exit from the tournament, but the legacy of the tournament did not fade as soon as England’s participation did. A survey in the 2005/06 season found that women’s football had the highest participation rate for any team sport played by women over the age of 16. The 2005 Euros raised the profile of the game as a participation sport for girls and young women.
The England Women's Squad before their departure from Mexico City airport after the Women's World Cup 1971 - many of them nursing injuries from the tournament!.
At home, instead of focusing on the turmoil that England women’s football was in, UK’s press coverage focused on the team’s failures in the tournament. Many of the articles referred to the “battered” players and as usual, took on a sexualised and sarcastic tone. Naming them “footballing beauties”, readers were being told “Don’t laugh – one day there may be a female Arsenal.”
Harry Batt made it clear to the press that he wanted women’s football to be taken seriously in England as it was in other countries. Hoping to use his team’s journey to Mexico as a launchpad, Batt wanted to take women’s football to next level of professionalism and popularity in England.
As the WFA took control of the England team in 1972, having their first official WFA-backed match, beating Scotland 3-2 in snowy Greenock, an opportunity to boost the exposure of women’s football in England arose. The WFA voted on whether to host the World Cup, under the rules that Batt would not be involved, nor any teams connected to the unofficial European competitions. The FA warned the WFA off their course and the vote was never passed in favour, passing up a key opening to put women’s football on the map in England. The plan may have come too soon, as the WFA suggested staging the 1973 Women's World Cup, by which point the sponsors had all pulled out.