Celebrating International Women’s Day

On International Women’s Day, we’re shining a light on the incredible work happening across our Club and alongside our supporters to make football a more inclusive game for women and girls.

Women of the Lane

Women of the Lane is the Club’s official supporters’ association for women and non-binary fans of the men’s team, established to strengthen representation and connection among women and non-binary supporters. Co-founded on International Women’s Day in 2024 by Miranda Ashitey, Hannah Barlow, Bhavna Malkani, Chris Paouros, Hemali Patel, Rachel Smethers and Ali Speechly, the group has seen significant growth since its launch and now has over 950 active members.

Two of the group’s co-founders are representatives on the Club’s Fan Advisory Board (FAB), meeting regularly with the Club to ensure that the perspectives of women and non-binary supporters are represented.

Beyond their work with the Club, Women of the Lane has also built a strong and active community among supporters themselves. The group regularly organises matchday meet-ups and travel opportunities, encouraging members to attend games together, build friendships and strengthen their connections with likeminded supporters.

Ali Speechly, co-founder of Women of the Lane said: "As we celebrate another International Women's Day, we feel proud reflecting on the work we have done with the Club so far to improve experiences for women and non-binary Spurs fans. We are keen to continue building this community, including working closely with similar groups across the Premier League to ensure we are all doing our best to make football more inclusive."

Women’s Safety

The Club supports a variety of public and personal safety initiatives as part of the drive to end violence against women and girls. This includes:

• Players – we work with appropriate agencies to take enforcement action against anyone who posts harmful content about our women’s players
• Staff – all staff are trained to be Active Bystanders, ensuring we create a workplace that is free from misogyny and abuse
• Fans and Visitors – our Stewards are trained to identify signs of domestic abuse and call in our specialist Safeguarding and Welfare Officers to offer advice and guidance. Ask for Angela is in operation across all our bars and staff are trained to offer support and intervene appropriately

Spurs Football Development

Our Spurs Football Development programme is committed to empowering girls in our community, providing a platform for them to develop their talent and reach their potential with the support of FA and UEFA-qualified coaches.

Tomorrow, Spurs Football Development coaches will host a tournament for girls from eight local schools at our Training Centre, during which Club staff will share insights into their roles in order to highlight the breadth of opportunities for women in football.

Tottenham Hotspur Foundation

Our Foundation plays a vital role in creating opportunities for women & girls in our local communities, delivering all-women and all-girls cohorts across its programmes that inspire, empower and transform lives.

It has recently brought together its Lily’s Little Stars and Next Generation football sessions – for girls aged five to 11 and 12-17 respectively – together with its women’s walking football offer into a single Monday evening hub in Enfield, creating a clearer and more accessible pathway for participants of all ages.

Beyond football, the Foundation is also running a pioneering skateboarding initiative across Enfield schools, This Girl Can Skate, designed for girls at risk of disengaging from school life, helping them to build confidence, resilience and unleash their creativity.

Adam Millar, Foundation programme coordinator, said: “We’re committed to providing high-quality provision with clear progression pathways for women and girls in our community.

“By creating dedicated spaces where participants feel supported and inspired, we’re seeing positive health, wellbeing and social outcomes that extend far beyond sport. Bringing some of our sessions together in Enfield strengthens that pathway and allows us to support girls from their very first kick of a ball through to adulthood.”