Following the success of our Empower Them refugee football programme, First Kick Foundation is expanding the initiative with Empower Her – a new women-only football programme helping refugee and asylum-seeking women connect, get active and feel part of their community.

Football has an incredible ability to bring people together. Different backgrounds, different languages and different experiences can all be left at the side of the pitch when the ball starts rolling.

We’ve seen exactly that through Empower Them, our refugee football programme, and now we’re taking the next step.

From Empower Them to Empower Her

Since launching Empower Them, we’ve seen football become much more than a weekly activity.

Between December 2025 and April 2026 alone, the programme recorded 630 participant engagements across 35 sessions, with an average attendance of 18–20 people. Participant feedback was particularly encouraging: 100% reported a positive experience, 100% said the programme helped reduce isolation, and 85% reported an improvement in their mental wellbeing.

The programme has provided a regular, welcoming environment where refugees and people seeking asylum can play football, meet new people, develop friendships and build connections within their local community.

One participant summed up the impact simply:

“It has helped me feel happier and part of a community.”

Seeing the difference Empower Them has made highlighted an opportunity to make the programme even more inclusive – by creating a dedicated space for women.

Meet Empower Her

Empower Her is our new free women-only refugee football programme, designed for refugee and asylum-seeking women aged 18+.

And you definitely don’t need to be the next Lioness to join us!

Whether someone has played football for years, kicked a ball around a few times or has never played before, they’ll be welcome. The focus isn’t on finding the best footballer in the room. It’s about getting active, having fun, meeting people and creating a place where women can feel comfortable and supported.

Sessions take place every Wednesday from 1pm–2pm at Ordsall Leisure Centre in Salford, with all abilities welcome. Just come along our sign up here.

More Than Just Sport

Empower Her is about football – but what happens around the football matters just as much.

For someone rebuilding their life in a new community, joining a sports session can provide a reason to leave the house, something positive to look forward to and an opportunity to meet people outside their immediate circumstances.

Through weekly women-only football sessions, Empower Her aims to help participants build friendships and social connections, improve wellbeing and confidence, become more physically active, develop a sense of belonging and connect with support and opportunities in their local community.

It follows the same sport-for-change approach that has shaped Empower Them: football is the starting point, not the end point.

Using Football to Build Stronger Communities

Empower Her forms part of First Kick Foundation’s wider commitment to creating inclusive communities and healthier lives through sport.

We want our programmes to remove barriers rather than create them. That means meeting people where they are, listening to what they need and using sport to create meaningful opportunities for connection.

The success of Empower Them has shown us what can happen when people are given a welcoming space to come together.

Now, through Empower Her, we’re making sure more women have that opportunity too.

Because sometimes football is about goals, tackles and great saves.

And sometimes the biggest result is simply feeling like you belong.

Join Empower Her

Empower Her – Free Women’s Refugee Football

When: Every Wednesday, 1pm–2pm
Where: Ordsall Leisure Centre, Salford
Who: Refugee and asylum-seeking women aged 18+
Ability: Everyone is welcome – no previous football experience needed
Cost: Free

What to bring:

• Trainers (no football boots needed)
• A water bottle
• Comfortable clothing you feel happy moving in.

Come for the football. Stay for the friendships, confidence and community.

Come along or sign up here.