{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreihadf7hgwcsjolasfsdk3iyilb55vwbkxjvvolybtspifzjmfv6wu",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:b7afdzqsmwksxypciqnplglk/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml7fi67xp4k2"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreibd7wutyyf66f7huukn3hco7arusar3dojdlylfs7cynn5fji3vri"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/png",
    "size": 343219
  },
  "path": "/2026/05/06/prince-william-celebrates-rise-womens-football-28259849/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-06T19:00:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Prince William, Prince of Wales",
    "supports HTML5\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvideo",
    "Kensington Palace",
    "Sign up to our daily football newsletter",
    "Jamie Carragher",
    "BBC",
    "Millie Bright",
    "Jordan Henderson",
    "Denise Van Outen",
    "Carol Vorderman",
    "Roman Kemp",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvideo\n\nUp Next\n\nPrevious Page\n\nNext Page\n\nA video message from Prince William praising the remarkable growth of the women’s game and the people driving its success both on and off the pitch will open the 2026 Women’s Football Awards ceremony.\n\nRecorded at Kensington Palace, the special address was created after the Prince was unable to attend the ceremony in person due to diary commitments.\n\nIn his message, he applauds the achievements of players and acknowledges the dedication of those working tirelessly behind the scenes to elevate women’s football to new heights.\n\n‘I’m delighted to send my warmest congratulations to everyone involved in the 2026 Women’s Football Awards.’ he said.\n\n‘This event celebrates not only remarkable sporting achievement, but also the dedication, resilience and leadership that continues to drive the women’s game forwards, from grass roots to the very top.\n\n‘Women’s football has seen extraordinary growth in recent years but that progress is a result of the players, coaches, volunteers and supporters who believe in its power to inspire and unite communities.\n\n‘To the nominees and winners thank you for what you do and congratulations on your well deserved recognition.\n\n##  Get personalised football updates every day\n\nSign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.\n\nGabby Logan will help hosts the ceremony alongside Jamie Carragher\n\nThe 2026 Women’s Football Awards, in partnership with Metro, Europe’s biggest awards event dedicated to the women’s game, returns for its third year following its launch in 2023.\n\nThis year’s glittering ceremony, headline sposnored by Shein, takes place tomorrow and will be co-hosted by football legend Jamie Carragher, renowned BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan, and former Lioness Lianne Sanderson.\n\nFormer Lioness Sanderson said: ‘Prince William’s support for women’s football has been fantastic. Having him take the time to record such a thoughtful message really shows how much he cares about the growth of the game.’\n\n‘He’s a well-known football fan, so it’s great to have his support for the event and for women’s football as a whole,’ former Liverpool and England defender Carragher added.\n\nHannah Hampton is in the running to win Player of the Year (Getty Images)\n\nThursday’s ceremony will bring together some of the biggest names in the sport, including Bunny Shaw, Alex Greenwood, Millie Bright and Maya Le Tissier.\n\nThey will be joined by a host of celebrity guests such as Jordan Henderson, Denise Van Outen, Carol Vorderman and Roman Kemp.\n\nThe Women’s Football Awards continues to shine a spotlight on excellence across the game, celebrating the players, teams, and industry figures who are shaping the future of women’s football across Europe and beyond.\n\nThe Women’s Football Awards is sponsored by online fashion retailer Shein, which has dressed stars for the event, alongside Scottish Power, and logistics company DSV. Luxury holiday company Destinology is providing exclusive holiday experiences for selected award winners.\n\n##  SHEIN Women’s Football Awards shortlist\n\n### Player of the Year\n\nLauren Hemp (Manchester City)\nBunny Shaw (Manchester City)\nKerstin Casparij (Manchester City)\nJess Park (Manchester United)\nElla Toone (Manchester United)\nKiko Seike (Brighton & Hove Albion)\nHannah Hampton (Chelsea)\nKirsty Hanson (Aston Villa)\nMariona Caldentey (Arsenal)\nAlessia Russo (Arsenal)\nVivianne Miedema (Manchester City)\n\n### Young Player of the Year\n\nTōko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur)\nLaura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City)\nMichelle Agyemang (Brighton & Hove Albion)\nFreya Godfrey (London City Lionesses)\nAlyssa Thompson (Chelsea)\nMaya Le Tissier (Manchester United)\nGrace Clinton (Manchester City)\nAoba Fujino (Manchester City)\nNelly Las (Leicester City)\nRuby Mace (Everton)\nLenna Gunning-Williams (Tottenham Hotspur)\n\n### International Player of the Year\n\nKlara Bühl (Bayern Munich)\nCaroline Weir (Real Madrid)\nAlèxia Putellas (Barcelona)\nRomée Leuchter (Paris Saint-Germain)\nPernille Harder (Bayern Munich)\nEwa Pajor (Barcelona)\nClaudia Pina (Barcelona)\nMelchie Dumornay (Lyon)\nTessa Wullaert (Inter Milan)\nLinda Caicedo (Real Madrid)\nVictoria López (Barcelona)\n\n### Club of the Year\n\nManchester City\nWrexham\nLondon City Lionesses\nManchester United\nChelsea\nGlasgow City\nTottenham Hotspur\nArsenal\nCharlton Athletic\nHearts\nBrighton & Hove Albion\n\n### Media Figure of the Year\n\nKelly Cates\nKaren Carney MBE\nLianne Sanderson\nLaura Woods\nReshmin Chowdhury\nAlex Scott MBE\nMina Ibrahim\nSuzanne Wrack\nKatie Whyatt\nFaye Carruthers\nMollie and Rosie Kmita\n\n### Best Marketing Campaign\n\nSports Direct & Fresh Base Productions – Legacy Starts Here\nAXA – Keep On Kicking\nLidl – Never Stop Growing\nAdidas & Intersport – Make Football Their Game\nChelsea & Here We Flo – We Don’t Bleed Blue. We Bleed. Period.\nPepsiMAX & Hope&Glory – Thirsty for More\nUnilever – Hellmann’s Russo Burger\nThe FA & Disrupt – Made For This Game\nWSL Football & Anomaly – Watch This\nNike & Wieden+Kennedy London – IIOME\nHeineken – Cheers to the Superstitious Fans\n\n### Best Grassroots Initiative\n\nLiverpool FA – She Inspires\nGoCardless – Grassroots Football Partnership\nTottenham Hotspur Foundation – Girls & Women Programme\nFlutter UK & Ireland – Cash4Clubs\nMcDonald’s – Fun Football\nSteven Gerrard Academy – Girls Football Programme\nElectric Ireland – Game Changers NI\nStarling Bank – Kick On With Starling\nOctopus Energy – Kits For Kids\nManchester City – City in the Community\nSP Energy Networks – Wrexham Partnership\n\n### Brand of the Year\n\nLucozade Sport\nAdidas\nEA Sports\nBritish Gas\nSkoda UK\nRexona\nBarclays\nAdobe\nThree UK\nVISA\nNike\n\n### Best Social Media\n\nJuventus\nThe FA – Lionesses\nChelsea\nNewcastle United\nAston Villa\nTottenham Hotspur\nBristol City\nManchester United\nRangers\nManchester City\nAdobe – Women’s FA Cup\n\n### Global Impact Award\n\nPlayStation\nVisitMalta\nVISA\nAdidas\nIberdrola\nPepsiCo\nBooking.com\nAmazon\nGoogle Pixel\nKynisca\nNike\n\n### Best Fan Engagement\n\nDisney+\nEA Sports\nChelsea\nLondon City Lionesses\nBirmingham City\nPanini\nGlasgow City\nHavas Play\nCharlton Athletic\nTikTok\nYouTube\n\n### Legal Team of the Year\n\nLinklaters\nRPC\nThackray Williams\nEvelyn Partners\nLawrence Stephens Limited\nPenningtons Manches Cooper\nTottenham Hotspur Legal Team\nCapital Law\nMills & Reeve\nPaul Robinson Solicitors\nBird & Bird\n\n### Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Award\n\nAdmiral\nLidl\nAdobe\nUnilever\nDomestic & General\nXero\nApple\nRSK\nBute Energy\nThe Premier League\nDeloitte\n\n### Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award\n\nArsenal\nEE\nPixel FC Academy\nThe FA\nWest Ham United\nMastercard\nUtilita\nBrighton & Hove Albion\nVISA\nThree UK\nLiverpool\n\n### Community Impact Award\n\nSunderland\nCarpenters Group\nBristol City\nCrane Worldwide Logistics\nHer Game Too\nXero\nLondon City Lionesses\nDomis\nBrighton & Hove Albion\nE.ON\nGoals4Girls\n\n### Football Business of the Year\n\nORRECO\nMercury13\nWe Are Athlete\nCAA SPORTS\nGravity Media\nLiveScore Group\nFoudys\nEA Sports\nKynsica\nSportfive\nTwenty3\n\n### Football Agency of the Year\n\nWasserman\nCAA SPORTS\nCMG SPORTS\nGen Z Football\nIgnite Talent\nTongue Tied Management\nPLG\nA&V Sports Group\nGestifute\nLivida Sport\nQuantum Sport\n\n### Football Business Trailblazer\n\nKay Cossington\nAki Mandhar\nMaggie Murphy\nSarah Batters\nZoe Johnson\nJemma White\nSola Kasali\nCharlotte O’Neill\nLaura Downey\nLaura Montgomery\nLiz Ellen\n\n### Best Breakthrough Business\n\nE.l.f Beauty\nModibodi\nMercedes-Benz UK\nAirbnb\nBritish Gas\nGuinness\nAFTA Studios\nPLG\nRevolut\nSkechers\nCrocs EU\n\n### Women’s Football Champion\n\nRose Read\nNadine Kessler\nNikki Doucet\nJemma White\nMichele Kang\nEbru Köksal\nDebbie Hewitt MBE\nJoelle Murray\nRachel Pavlou\nSimone Pound MBE\nVic Akers OBE\n\n### Game Changer Award\n\nRachel Yankey OBE\nGillian Coultard MBE\nEartha Pond\nShelley Kerr MBE\nKelly Smith MBE\nNikita Parris\nEllen White MBE\nGilly Flaherty\nFran Kirby\nIni Umotong\nJess Fishlock MBE\n\n### Off The Pitch Award\n\nStephen Lansdown CBE\nMichael Williamson\nMatt Johnson\nBethan Woolley\nTammy Parlour MBE\nLungi Macebo\nRachel Pavlou\nLiz Ellen\nLola Ogunbote\nHelen Hardy\nJo Osborne\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Prince William sends message of thanks to the stars powering growth of women’s football"
}