The world's first standalone women's football store is coming to Manchester on June 25, featuring two floors full of women's sport merchandise. The shop will be located at 293 Deansgate in the city centre.
Football fans will have access to official merchandise, shirt printing, exclusive handpicked collaborations, limited-edition ranges, performance products tailored specifically for female athletes, and 'must-have fashion' inspired by women's sport.
Foudys, a brand dedicated exclusively to women's football, says it is opening the store to address the lack of access to official merchandise for women's football fans. It will serve as both a retail destination and a cultural hub for the women's game.
Founder's Vision
Founder Helen Hardy, who also launched inclusive football club Manchester Laces, says she is happy to be opening the store in Manchester because she understands what having this space in the city will mean.
She said: "I fell in love with Manchester as soon as I moved here and for me it is the home of football. I still love playing the game and I set up the Manchester Laces women's team in 2021 which is now the largest in the city.
"So, I understand what having this space will mean to the women I play with every week. We've managed to secure such a great spot on Deansgate and I'm looking forward to meeting women and girls who play and support women's football in the store over the coming weeks."
Addressing Underserved Fans
Hardy founded Foudys online in 2020 as the first ever football retail site dedicated to the fans and players of women's teams. She 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."
Staff at the store, which will have a 'light and airy feel with a limited use of plastic', will be trained to provide a personal experience and help explain the product in a way that meets the player where they are in their football journey.
Focus on Fit and Comfort
There will be a strong focus on boots at the store, where the expert team will help customers through fit, feel and which options are best for your position on the pitch. Women and girls will also have a safe space to get sports bra advice and fittings, plus advice on the best period underwear for performance.
Community Events
Events at the store will include watch parties, panini sticker swaps, player panel discussions and sewing workshops to fix damaged football kits.
Hardy added: "There's been huge progress on the pitch and in media coverage, but the commercial ecosystem hasn't fully caught up. 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."
