In January, the government decided to support the European Championships with CHF4 million.
Keystone / Anthony Anex
A committee of the Swiss House of Representatives has voted in favour of a proposal to allocate CHF15 million ($16.5 million) in support of next year’s European Women’s Football Championship, which Switzerland will host. This is almost four times the amount proposed by the Swiss government.
With 15 votes in favour, 5 against and 3 abstentions, the Science, Education and Culture Committee of the House of Representatives recommended the motion already approved by the Senate, as reported by the parliamentary services on Friday. The final decision will be made in the summer, but it is likely just a formality.
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Women’s football in Switzerland: the pioneers
In January, the government decided to support the European Championships with CHF4 million. One of the reasons given for this was Switzerland’s strained financial situation.
Outrage over the government’s decision
The decision caused consternation among those affected. Critics argued that the amount was just one twentieth of the CHF80 million that the Confederation had spent on the 2008 European Men’s Football Championship in Switzerland and Austria.
+Men’s and women’s football: same play, different pay
The government pointed out that the Women’s Euro was different from the men’s in 2008 due to its distinct audience composition. A large part of the federal funding at that time was allocated towards covering security expenses.
The House of Representatives committee now argues that the significant women’s sporting event presents Switzerland with great opportunities to showcase itself to a global audience, as outlined in the press release. Therefore, the increase in the federal contribution is deemed justified. Cities and cantons have so far contributed CHF65 million to the Women’s World Cup.
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Switzerland to host Women’s Euro 2025
Better infrastructures
In 2025, 16 European women’s football teams will play for the title in eight Swiss cities. Around 700,000 spectators are expected to attend, and half a billion people are likely to watch the event on television.
The committee also wants to allocate a portion of the requested CHF15 million towards national communication efforts. Additionally, it seeks to implement sustainable improvements in women’s football infrastructures and promote the use of public transport, for example through the introduction of combined tickets.
Translated from German by DeepL/sp
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