London, 27 April, 2023 – The Women’s Football Awards have today announced Klarna, the leading global payments and shopping service, as the official supporting sponsor of the flagship 2023 ceremony.
The Women’s Football Awards will honour the people, brands and organisations who are contributing to the phenomenal growth of the sport in the UK and internationally.
It is the first time that all levels of women’s football will be recognised at one major awards event.
Klarna’s sponsorship of the awards is part of its ongoing commitment to supporting women’s football. In 2021, Klarna was announced as a founding partner of Los Angeles based National Women’s Soccer League team Angel City FC. The following year the brand delivered an eye-catching advertising campaign, alongside Visa during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 that spotlighted eventual winners, Lionesses Fran Kirby and Lucy Bronze.
Discussing the awards sponsorship, Mark Godfrey, Klarna UKI Marketing Director, remarks:
“We’re excited to be supporting the inaugural Women’s Football Awards. After a hugely successful marketing campaign during last summer’s European Championships, bettered only by the performance of the England team, we’re really pleased to play even a small part in helping celebrate some of those performances and the growth in popularity of women’s football across the board”.
As well as being the official supporting sponsor for the flagship awards event, Klarna will sponsor the coveted Player of the Year award.
The global payment platform, which has 150 million active customers across 45 countries, is also partnering with football legend Jamie Carragher to identify grassroots women’s football initiatives in the North West to attend the star-studded event.
England internationals Beth Mead, Jess Carter, Nikita Parris and Toni Duggan plus Real Madrid and Scotland forward Caroline Weir have all given their support to the Women’s Football Awards as has Everton star Conor Coady, Chelsea defender Reece James and Sky Sports News anchors Pete Graves and Hayley McQueen.
Award categories include the Klarna-sponsored Player of the Year, as well as Grassroots Initiative of the Year and Lifetime Achievement.
There are also a series of accolades for the individuals and brands working behind the scenes to expand the reach of women’s football.
The glittering event is set to be hosted by former Chelsea and England international Eni Aluko plus former England hero turned Sky Sports presenter Jamie Carragher in London on Thursday 25 May.
They will be joined by leading personalities from the women’s game as male football allies and celebrities come together for a major celebration of the sport.
Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher, who is a prominent advocate for the growth of women’s football, said:
“Klarna is a huge global brand and we are delighted to have their support for the 2023 Women’s Football Awards. Klarna’s backing for these awards demonstrates their continued and brilliant support of women’s football. It is also fantastic that they will be working with me to identify grassroots women’s teams to attend the event. It is important to all of us that every level of the game is celebrated at the Women’s Football Awards and so this commitment from Klarna will help to make sure that happens in an even bigger way.”
Co-host Aluko, who made 102 appearances for the England national team and is now a leading women’s football broadcaster, added:
“The Women’s Football Awards is going to be an event of celebration that will shine a light on players, individuals and organisations doing phenomenal work to grow the women’s game.
“The awards will be an important platform to recognise the key players and allies both on and off the pitch, who have raised the bar for women’s football.”
The Women’s Football Awards takes place at Nobu London on Thursday 25th May. The event is headline sponsored by the global online fashion and lifestyle retailer, SHEIN, a key Klarna retail partner.
