Home nations back women’s team

The football associations of the four home nations have agreed to allow a British women’s team to try to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Fifa has confirmed.

Team GB has traditionally not competed in Olympic football tournaments because of fears it could tempt Fifa to force England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to compete as a UK team permanently.

These concerns were put aside, though, for London 2012, when a men’s team took part for the first time since 1972 and a women’s team competed for the first time.

But, with Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales still opposed to playing as a combined British team, no agreement was reached to enter teams for Rio 2016.

Fifa has always said it would sanction a British Olympic team, providing the Football Association, Scottish FA, Irish FA and Football Association of Wales all agreed to it.

After much cajoling by the British Olympic Association, that agreement has been reached but only for a women’s team.

Fifa said it has now “received written confirmation” from the four FAs, confirming their desire to see a British women’s team in Tokyo.

England are the nominated country to try to qualify for the 2020 Games, which means they will need to be one of the top three European nations at next year’s Women’s World Cup in France.