Foudys, the pioneering lifestyle and apparel brand dedicated exclusively to women’s football, has launched a new European public equity round with Crowdcube, inviting the public to own shares in the business.
Founded in 2020 by Helen Hardy, Foudys aims to address a fundamental gap in the sport retail market – the lack of access to official merchandise and products for women’s football fans and players.
Foudys has evolved into a category-defining business securing official retail access to major global brands including Nike, Adidas and Puma, and building a loyal community of customers across the UK and internationally. This is a key moment in time for the company as the women’s football market looks set to experience further growth in the run-up to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
- In June, Foudys launched the world’s first dedicated women’s football store in Manchester (just round the corner from my flat if anyone wants to pop in for a cuppa after stocking up on Man City or England merch. Those with United shirts need not apply) to great acclaim from fans, finally providing a physical space to receive specialist product advice, buy official kits and exclusive fashion-led ranges. It also provides a location for brand activations and events
- The company recently established a B2B relationship with a major gaming company and an elite football team and has exclusive deals in place to sell products from the NWSL US women’s league and the TOGETHXR range
- Foudys achieved £1m+ in FY25/26 revenue through e-commerce and physical retail channels
- Research from Visualsoft revealed that the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro tournament outperformed the men’s Euros from the previous year in key retail sectors. In the fortnight leading up to the women’s final, children’s apparel revenue jumped 54% and fashion and footwear sales increased 26%
- UEFA’s Unstoppable strategy committed €1 billion to women’s football initiatives through 2030. Its target is to make football the top female team sport in every European country, aiming for 5,000 fully professional female players and six fully professional leagues across Europe by 2030
- In April, Deloitte revealed that in 2026 global revenue in women’s elite sports is predicted to exceed US$3 billion for the first time. This marks a 25 per cent increase over 2025 and 340 per cent growth since 2022.
Hardy said: “International women’s football tournaments have always been a catalyst for our business as they are proven to attract an ever-growing number of fans and players to the game.
“We are experienced in how to make the most of this and aim to double the size of the business in the coming year, as well as add additional physical spaces and continue to support domestic leagues across Europe and beyond.”
One of the first to join this new round of investment is international footballing legend Lucy Bronze MBE, who has been a long-time supporter and fan of the company. Former Msn City right back Bronze is the most decorated English footballer of all time.
The success of the Lionesses has propelled the UK women’s football market forward and Bronze says that the opportunity needs to be surrounded by an eco-system of companies that support this rise in engagement.
She said: “I feel like Foudys has always been a brand that I’ve tried to tell the other players about. It’s somewhere where we, as athletes, have been given a space. Foudys celebrates women’s sports and I’ve always been a big fan.”
Crowdcube is a leading equity crowdfunding and private market investment platform that allows everyday individuals to buy shares in start-ups, early-stage, and growth companies. It has become a favourite amongst innovative brands, which have, like Foudys, disrupted or created their own category of business including Monzo, Revolut and Mindful Chef.
