Summer of Sport

Football fans are buzzing in anticipation of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, a tournament kicking off in Switzerland on 2nd July. England’s Lionesses are defending the title they won in 2022 with a heart stopping 2-1 victory against Germany in extra time. The Lionesses, captained by Leah Williamson, begin their campaign with a game against France on Saturday 5th July, with the Welsh national team also opening its Euro 2025 campaign on 5th July, squaring up against the Netherlands. It’s the first time The Dragons have qualified for a major tournament so all eyes will be on captain Angharad James and her squad.

The Summer of Sport continues to sizzle in August with the 10th installment of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Kicking off on 22nd August and running until 27th September, the tournament features 16 national teams and takes place in eight cities across England. The host side’s success at top-tier events such as the Women’s Six Nations means England will go into the competition as favourites. But they’ll face stiff opposition from the likes of New Zealand who beat them in the World Cup final in 2022. Wales and Scotland will also be vying for top honours against favoured contenders such as Canada, France, and Australia.

The summer’s thrilling action in Switzerland and England can be seen as the culmination of three decades of National Lottery support that has transformed women's sport from the grassroots up. To celebrate 30 years of The National Lottery and the £30MMillion raised for Good Causes every week by its players, we're showcasing how £6.8BN has revolutionised women and girls' sport across the UK.

As part of that effort, we’ve teamed up with former Lionesses midfielder Jill Scott on a very special campaign with ITV. This campaign highlights the huge impact of National Lottery funding on grassroots sport. The ad features Jill alongside some incredible players who have all benefited from National Lottery funding. Watch the ad below.

29th June 2025