The FA this week launched a spoof video featuring SSE Wildcats in their ‘natural habitat’.

The film coincides with the new season of The FA’s participation initiative, created to provide girls aged 5-11 with the opportunity to give football a try and is now set to welcome over 20,000 participants across the country.

The nature documentary-style film sees the Wildcats in the great outdoors and captures a unique insight into the playtime of this very special species and the confidence, social skills, and friendships that they develop.

First launched in 2017, 1,250 SSE Wildcats centres across England offer girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football on a weekly basis. The initiative provides organised sessions in a fun and engaging environment created exclusively for girls and the opportunity to try football for the first time.

Kirsty Pealling, leader of the Camden Wildcats group captured in the film said:

“The girls absolutely love the sessions, we have great attendance every week from across the community and the girls develop wonderful friendships. We see them grow in confidence each week and it’s a pleasure to run the centre.”

SSE Wildcat, Megan, added “I love coming to Wildcats every week, I get to see my friends outside of school and meet new players from my local area. My favorite part of the session is the fun warm-up and scoring goals.”

The FA’s National Women's Programme Manager, Caroline Hulme said:

“SSE Wildcats is an initiative that we started in the hope of inspiring girls aged 5 to 11 to get involved in the sport.

"We are delighted that numbers continue to grow, with more and more centres signing up across the country. Crucially, the sessions are focused on having fun and making friends, which are the really important factors in Wildcats.

"We want to help girls grow in confidence, develop social skills and enjoy being active through football.”

With the rapid growth of women and girls taking up football, this initiative is a great addition to what is going on ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 in France.