The world’s first standalone women’s football retail store has opened in Manchester

Foudys, the world’s first ever store dedicated exclusively to women’s football, has opened in Manchester.

Back in 2020, Helen Hardy began Foudys, with the goal (pardon the pun) of addressing a fundamental gap in the market, regarding the lack of access to official women’s football merchandise.

She began the brand by supplying shirts with women’s players names on the back, something that shockingly has not been widely available until now. The business has since rapidly grown into a highly respected name, working with global brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma.

As Hardy rightly said: “Women and girls are underserved by traditional sport retailers. Currently we see store environments created through the male lens, an overwhelming focus on male products and aesthetics that are geared toward football-mad boys.

“The staff are used to selling to men and boys who often grow up with an innate knowledge of football products. Through our online store we can see what our customers want and need is different.

“They like a mix of performance and lifestyle products, more specialist advice and a non-intimidating environment where they feel comfortable to ask any product questions. This is what our Foudys store will deliver.”

After developing a loyal community of players and fans across the globe, Foudys has finally branched out into a new in-person two-storey retail store here at Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse, on Deansgate – and where better to have it than a city so synonymous with football?

The store is set to stock official merchandise, exclusive handpicked collaborations, limited-edition ranges, performance products tailored specifically for female athletes, plus some must-have fashion collections inspired by women’s sport.

There’ll be a whole section of performance wear like sports bras, football boots and more, plus football shirts you can have customised with printing in-store.

This isn’t just a shop – it doubles up as a cultural hub for the women’s game, with events in the store including watch parties, panini sticker swaps, player panel discussions and sewing workshops to fix damaged football kits.

The new Foudys opening represents a wider significant step forward for women’s sport, as the demand for women’s football continues to soar with record-breaking attendances, increased media rights deals and rising brand investment.

This is reflected by Deloitte’s* findings showing that in 2026, global revenue in women’s elite sports is predicted to exceed US$3 billion for the first time, marking a 25 per cent increase over 2025 and 340 per cent growth since 2022. However, retail is currently not sufficiently reflecting this shift, which is something Foudys aspires to change.

“There’s been huge progress on the pitch and in media coverage, but the commercial ecosystem hasn’t fully caught up,” Hardy added.

“Retail is a critical part of that. This store is about creating a space where fans and players feel seen, represented and catered for, something that hasn’t existed before at this scale.

“Foudys has always led from the front, being the first to put female players’ names on the back of shirts and providing exclusive access to products from the US NWSL League and the TOGETHXR range. This is the next step in that journey. We want to break barriers and show what women and girls need from a sports store.”

Foudys hopes to become the global home of women’s football retail and culture, with their in-person store being a crucial step in bridging the gap between performance and lifestyle.

In 2024, the Sports Innovation Lab* found a significant disparity in sport retail, highlighting that for every nine pieces of men’s sport merchandise available, there is only one piece for women’s sport. While in the same study, it was revealed that women’s sport fans spend more on merchandise and make more purchases per year than men’s sport fans.

Foudys prides itself on its inclusive community feel, with staff trained to help explain their products in a way that is accessible, whether you’re a complete newbie or consider yourself a pro.

Their expert team is on hand to help players consider a wide variety of boot options, as well as providing a safe space for sports bra advice, fittings and help on the best period underwear for performance.
What more could you ask for?

The Foudys store is now open (from 25 June 2026) at 293 Deansgate, Manchester.

Read more

• A sports bar dedicated to women’s sports is opening in Stockport
• Cult beauty brand P.Louise to open world-first megastore in Manchester
• Manchester institution ‘a little emotional’ after receiving a visit from rock icon Hayley Williams

*https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/about/press-room/womens-elite-sports-revenues-2026.html
**https://www.klarna.com/international/press/klarna-announces-rep-her-initiative-addressing-gender-based-disparities-in-womens-sports-merchandise/

Featured image: The Manc Group