A TEAM from Wirral Grammar School for Girls will step on to the hallowed turf at Wembley Stadium this afternoon.

The Utilita Girls Cup Final will be contested between Norwich City and Tranmere Rovers at Wembley, prior to the 2024 Bristol Street Motors Trophy Final between Peterborough United and Wycombe Wanderers.

Norwich will be represented by Thorpe St Andrew School, while Tranmere will be represented by Wirral Grammar School for Girls, after both schools earned their place at the home of English football.

After earning right to represent EFL Clubs regionally and play in their official colours, teams progressed through the Area and Regional phases to make it all the way to the Wembley showpiece.

Southern winners Thorpe St Andrew School beat Monmouth Comprehensive School, representatives of Newport County, 2-1 to secure their place in the Final, before Wirral Grammar School for Girls overcame Sunderland 1-0 in the Northern Final.

The Utilita Girls Cup is one of the country’s biggest national tournaments – which has seen around 7,000 girls and over 700 teams take part this year – linked to the regions of the 72 EFL Clubs.

 

The competition was officially launched at Barnsley earlier in the season when ambassadors Izzy Christiansen, Clinton Morrison, and Glenn Murray joined over 150 young aspiring footballers to kick off proceedings.

Christiansen, a former England international, praised the competition which has been used as a pathway to the Lionesses national team, with players being scouted in this very competition.

“Playing at Wembley is one of the best things in the world, so the fact that there’s a prospect of that at the end of this journey in the Utilita Girls Cup for one of these teams perhaps is very exciting,” she explained.

“We wouldn’t have seen this 10 years ago, so it’s amazing to see. It’s so important because the enjoyment is the most important thing, but also, the competition is why we love sport as well.

“It could have a big impact because it can give any of these players the opportunity to taste what it’s like to be in the competition and taste success perhaps and get that real appetite for wanting to perform at a really high level.”

And the 32-year-old will be in attendance on Sunday at the Final to cheer on both finalists.