Girlz Are Playaz Too
They said sport wasn’t for us. Priscilla Anyabu and Girlz Are Playaz Too is proving them wrong, turning hesitation into confidence and silence into roars, starting with football. But this is just the beginning, and now you’re invited to be part of what comes next.
By Natasha
There’s a moment, just before something new, where excitement meets uncertainty. That rush of stepping into a stadium for the first time, the nervous laughter before throwing a first punch in a boxing gym, the hesitant thrill of gripping a go-kart’s steering wheel. That moment is where Girlz Are Playaz Too exists. It’s about taking that first step into sport without fear, without pause for thought,, with nothing but an open mind and the promise of something brilliant waiting on the other side. Girlz Are Playaz Too are right there and Glorious is here to support.
Sport hasn’t always felt like an open invitation for women. We know the statistics. Women in Sport found that more than one million teenage girls (43%) who once considered themselves ‘sporty’, disengage from sport following primary school. We know that so many women, particularly in the UK, feel like sport simply isn’t for them. It’s intimidating. It’s unwelcoming. It’s a space often built for men, where women are often tolerated rather than celebrated. And yet, when women do engage, when they find their place, the benefits are undeniable. Sixty per cent of women say sport helps them build social connections, but forty per cent still avoid it because they feel isolated or intimidated. That’s the contradiction that Girlz Are Playaz Too, led by Priscilla Anyabu, is tackling head-on.
Priscilla is no stranger to sport. Born and raised in London, she was once a promising high jumper, competing at a high level. But like so many young women, she drifted away, unable to see a clear future in sport. There were no role models that felt relatable, no pathways that felt sustainable, no sense that sport was something she could own. She turned her attention to media, carving out a name for herself as a presenter, model, and reality TV star, appearing on Love Island and later hosting projects across television and digital platforms. But sport was always in the background, waiting to be rediscovered.
We first met Priscilla at The Ham Yard Hotel. Sky Sports had invited Glorious to watch a series of films created through the Sky Sports New Focus Fund, which is part of Sky’s wider £30m commitment to tackling racial injustice, removing barriers, and providing opportunities for creative talent in the industry. Among the films was ‘Girlz Are Playaz Too’, a documentary Priscilla had produced and presented. The short film followed Priscilla as she stepped into a boxing gym for the first time, accompanied by her friends. Together, they explored the state of women’s sports today while taking on the challenge of boxing themselves. She also revisited her old school, where her sporting journey had ended at 15, reflecting on her experience and speaking to the pupils, hoping to inspire the next generation to stick with sport.
During training, Priscilla interviewed world champion boxer Natasha Jonas, who shared advice and showed what was possible. Later, she and her friends took part in a session at Bronx Boxing Club, the gym founded by The Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells, who has built a space where women are encouraged to step into the ring and feel like they belong (read her Glorious story here).
“Why boxing?” I ask. Priscilla laughs. “It’s intimidating! How many women do you know who are curious to try boxing but would never just walk into a boxing gym?” I nod, as the word scary instantly springs to mind. But this was more than just a documentary. It was the start of something bigger. Three days later, Priscilla was in the Glorious studio, outlining her ambitious vision. This wasn’t just about boxing or a single film. It was about transforming outdated perceptions surrounding women in sport.
“The idea’s pretty simple,” she laughed. “I’ve created a calendar of firsts: first time boxing, first time playing padel, first time go-karting – you get it! Each month, I’ll invite my social followers, along with a few of my influential friends, to step out of their comfort zones and try a new sport together. But these sessions aren’t just workouts or watch parties; they’re social moments, built for fun and discovery.”
Clearly inspired by what she uncovered while making the film, she explained the deeper purpose behind it. “There’s a growing demand for safe, empowering spaces for women to come together. So many women want to try new sports or physical activities but feel held back by discomfort, fear of judgment, or a lack of access to supportive communities. That’s what sparked this idea. What if we could create a space that makes trying something new feel fun, safe, and social?”
That vision took its first step with football. Our audience at Glorious Sport has always had a love for football, but it’s complicated. Whilst it may be a beautiful game, for many women, it doesn’t feel accessible. The idea of going to a stadium alone? Of standing in the stands at a heated London derby? Of figuring out how to get tickets, where to sit, what to expect? It’s easy to see why so many women hesitate. But what happens when those barriers come down?
Fulham FC welcomed Girlz Are Playaz Too to experience the game in a new way. All Girlz Are Playaz attendees were given the star treatment as they walked into the stadium as part of the matchday build-up, and watched their first-ever men’s match. The crowd, the chants, the moment the whistle blew. It was a revelation. Priscilla had never been to a football match before. Neither had most of the women she was with. And they loved it. Football, for all its intimidating myths, turned out to be something else entirely. Welcoming, thrilling, exhilarating. Fulham FC could not have been more accommodating. They made space, opened doors, and changed perceptions. The women had such a positive experience that they are heading back for a full training session with Fulham’s women’s team very soon. We cannot wait to see how their confidence grows on the pitch.
That first experience led to another: Wembley, the Lionesses vs Spain. High up in the stands, surrounded by families, children, women, and men alike, the atmosphere felt nothing like the stereotypes you might expect. More young girls, more first-timers, a fresh energy to football. What stood out wasn’t just the game itself but the sense that this was sport as it should be. It was open, joyful, and a place where women belonged. The biggest revelation? For the group of women Priscilla had brought together, neither the Fulham men’s match nor the England women’s match felt intimidating. In both stadiums, they felt empowered. The myths were just that, myths. And now, through Girlz Are Playaz Too, more women are discovering that for themselves.
discovering
While Priscilla and the Girlz Are Playaz Too group took their seats, team Glorious headed outside to meet and photograph the fans. Whilst we’ve been to Lionesses games before, this match felt different. Maybe it was because it was Wembley, maybe because it was a late kick-off on a school night, or maybe because it was the first time we were out among the fans, capturing their excitement and hearing their stories. So many young people. Girls with their dads, boys with their mums, groups of teenage friends, all proudly wearing their England shirts. Among them, Spanish fans draped in flags added their own colour and energy. Everyone was happy, everyone ready for a battle on the field. But outside the stadium, there was no battle, just celebration.
Some had travelled across cities, others across countries, just to be here. Jerome and his daughter Jazlyn had made the trip from the Netherlands. For them, going to football is a bonding experience. Jordan and Yasmin, devoted Arsenal Women’s fans and season ticket holders, regularly travel from Birmingham to the Emirates for each match. Torquay United goalkeeper Emma Ayres and her friend Katie Sawyer had come down for the day just to be part of it all.
There was something powerful about seeing so many people invest time, money, and energy just to be here. It wasn’t just about the football; it was about being part of something bigger. For years, women’s football had been dismissed, sidelined, barely acknowledged. But now, young fans were growing up with an entirely different reality.
Maybe the real battle happens at home. Francisco, standing with his two daughters, was all confidence. “Spain will win 3-0,” he declared. The girls, Aoife and Elena, weren’t so sure. “We live in London but we’re Spanish, so we kind of have to support Spain,” Aoife laughed. Francisco jumped back in, grinning, “The best! We support Spain.” Football had become their thing, a shared experience between father and daughters.
Alice had never been to a match before. Her mum had bought her and her friend tickets because they had loved watching the World Cup. “I’m so excited to go back to school and tell my friends we came to Wembley,” she said. She had travelled all the way from Hull for this. Ellie, gripping her match programme, had no doubts. “England will win,” she said with absolute confidence.
devoted
Hearing that certainty, that pride, struck me. This wasn’t a generation who felt like they were being let into a space that wasn’t built for them. They knew they belonged. Safa and Anna had come together. For Safa, it was her first time watching a match in person. “I played football badly in school in PE!” she laughed. Anna, who plays football on Fridays and teaches science, has noticed more of her students getting into the game. “Some of them are even here today.”
Kevin and Olivia, a father-daughter duo and devoted Charlton fans, were taking it all in. Olivia, who plays for Dartford, was absorbing every moment. The Sharrod family were tucking into chips, predicting a 2-1 England win. “Toone and Russo will get the goals!” Sisters Tarryn and Tallia were split on their predictions. Tarryn, who had been to a match before, went with 4-3 to England. Tallia, experiencing her first game, guessed 4-2. Evie and her sister Maisie stood together, both wearing matching Nike trainers and homemade bracelets for Toone and Russo. “We love the Lionesses!” they grinned.
That love, that passion, felt effortless to them. They had never known a world where women’s football was hidden away. They had never had to defend why they wanted to watch, why they cared, why it mattered.
And they made it known. Homemade banners waved proudly. Merchandise stalls were flooded. If the official merch wasn’t available, they created their own. Research from Klarna and fan intelligence company Sports Innovation Lab, revealed that sales of women’s football shirts have risen 17 percent in the past year through its platform. Yet eight out of ten fans say they would buy more women’s sports merchandise if more options were available. When those options don’t exist, these young girls take matters into their own hands.
Just look at 14-year-old Elaadah from Croydon (title image), who brought along a scrapbook she had spent hours carefully putting together- a tribute to her favourite player, Nikita Parris. Page after page filled with photos, notes, and memories, a labour of love that showed just how deeply she connected with the game.
Sisters Rosie and Hallie held up a flag emblazoned with “Her Game Too.” Huge football fans, they had travelled down to Wembley with their family. They both love Georgia Stanway and Lucy Bronze. Then there was Isla-May and Izzy, best friends who had bonded over football. “We follow the Lionesses everywhere,” they told us. Both eleven, both Arsenal fans, both footballers themselves. The excitement around us was impossible to ignore. Young fans, seasoned supporters, first-timers, lifelong football lovers. Football belonged to them. Football belonged to us all.
As we made our way back to the stands, ate our outrageously priced hot dogs, and cheered as Jess Park scored the winning goal in the 33rd minute, Wembley pulsed with life. The floodlights randomly cut out for two minutes, leaving the crowd in murmuring suspense before bursting back into action. ‘Freed From Desire’ blasted through the speakers, sending the stands into a sea of movement, people jumping, dancing, arms raised in celebration. Paper airplanes, launched from the highest tiers, twirled their way onto the pitch. And when the final whistle blew, we danced to ‘Sweet Caroline’, laughed, chatted, and took up space, fully and unapologetically.For many of the fans surrounding us, this was nothing new. They had been here before, whether at Wembley or another stadium, watching the Lionesses or their favourite club. Football was just part of their world. They had grown up seeing women’s football take up space, knowing that sport was for them.
But for most of those here with Girlz Are Playaz Too, this was different. It was their first time watching a live game. Many would assume they might be nervous or unsure, waiting to see if they fit in. But there was no hesitation, no questioning whether they belonged. That doubt, the kind so many of us carried growing up, simply did not exist.They were surrounded by women who embraced being exactly who they were. There was no pressure to know the chants, no expectation to understand every moment of the game.
Those who did know the words did not dismiss them as outsiders. They welcomed them in, sang alongside them, explained the offside rule, and gave running commentary as the game unfolded. It was a space where they could be themselves, where curiosity was met with encouragement, and where the love of football was something to be shared, not gatekept.
They had stepped into a world that, for so long, had felt like it wasn’t for them. And hopefully, this was just the beginning. Maybe it encourages them to ask to play football in PE. Maybe they get a group of mates together to go to the pub and watch a match. Maybe they sign up for a Sunday five-a-side league or start following their favourite players on socials.
embraced
Among us were Priscilla’s nieces, their wide eyes fixed on the pitch as they watched their first live match. Her old teacher was there too, having asked to bring the head of PE and two pupils. It was their first time at a game like this, a whole new world unfolding before them. Priscilla’s friends, our age, were just as swept up in the moment as the younger girls, their excitement just as raw and real. Women of all generations stood together, proving that football—and sport itself—has space for them.
I look to Priscilla and we both laugh. We share a similar past, both walking away from sport when we couldn’t see a future in it. But now, as she builds Girlz Are Playaz Too and I lead Glorious, she sees what I have come to understand: sport should always be an open door, never a closed one.
And it is not just about young women. It is about rediscovering the joy of movement, no matter your age or experience. You could have spent 15 years on the bench and it would not matter. There is still space for you. There will always be space for you. Girlz Are Playaz Too is here to help you take that first step.
Girlz Are Playaz Too is not just about bringing women together to watch sport. It is about making sure they feel part of it in every way, by playing, learning, and experiencing it for themselves. Every month, Girlz Are Playaz Too will run free sessions across the UK for women over 18, supported by brilliant brands that believe in making sport more accessible. From fencing to padel, go-karting to track and field, rugby to ice hockey, it is all about getting involved, learning from others, and most importantly, having fun.
And because the next generation should never have to wonder if sport is for them, Girlz Are Playaz Too will also run quarterly sessions and events for those under 18. Free, welcoming, and designed to inspire. This is not just about sport. It is about community and creating firsts. First matches, first goals, first times picking up a racket, stepping onto a fairway, or trying something new. Firsts that build confidence, spark friendships, and open doors. It starts with one moment, and the rest follows.
The first step is yours to take.
Follow Girlz Are Playaz Too on Instagram here
Sign up to register your interest in any Girlz Are Playaz Too Sessions here
Glorious is proud to partner with Girlz Are Playaz Too as their media and creative content partner, for brand enquiries or to find out how your organisation can get involved, please reach out to info@glorioussport.com
Header Image of 14-year-old Elaadah from Croydon, who brought along a scrapbook she had spent hours carefully putting together- a tribute to her favourite player, Nikita Parris by photographer Callum O’Keefe
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