Llwyngwril’s Carrie Dunn will release an inspirational account of women’s football, from its painful past to its exciting future and the inclusion of first-hand accounts from leading female players

Hero Press will publish Woman Up in the UK on 26 October, building on the excitement of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the summer.

World rights were acquired by Christian Müller, commissioning editor of Hero Press, from Melanie Michael-Greer from the Michael Greer Literary Agency.

According to FIFA there are 29 million women and girls playing football worldwide and the aim is facilitate 60 million by 2026.

With the triumph of England’s Lionesses at Euro 2022, the women’s game has been in the spotlight like never before, enjoying unprecedented media attention.

But this is the result of decades of struggle to get women’s football – banned by the English FA for 50 years – on a more equal footing to its male counterpart.

And while the current professional players are starting to reap the rewards of their success on the pitch, their personal journeys have often involved fighting against the odds, and they are still at a disadvantage in many areas, including access to medical treatment, playing facilities and salaries.

So that a new generation of girls getting involved in football all over the world don’t face the same obstacles as their predecessors, football journalist Carrie shines a light on the evolution of women’s football and the gender gaps that still persist – on issues such as injuries, sportswear, period taboos and diversity.

Packed with practical advice and first-hand accounts from leading female players, Woman Up is the global story of women’s football.

Carrie is a writer and journalist who has covered the last three Women’s World Cups for the Times and Eurosport, and is a regular voice on BBC radio as well as The Athletic’s Women’s Football Podcast.

She has a PhD in sport sociology, and her particular research specialism is in women’s experience of sport.

Her recent books include Unsuitable for Females: The Rise of the Lionesses and Women’s Football in England (Arena Sport, 2022); The Pride of the Lionesses (Pitch, 2019), nominated as Football Book of the Year in 2020, and a sequel to The Roar of the Lionesses: Women’s Football in England (Pitch, 2016), one of the Guardian’s best sport books of 2016.

Her own footballing career began – and ended – with the Junior Hatters’ supporters’ club in her hometown of Luton.

Carrie lives in the beautiful Snowdonia National Park with her actor husband and their rescue lurcher, Spring.

Christian said: “I am very excited to be working on this project. Carrie’s expertise on and passion for women’s football really shine through in this fascinating and eye-opening book. Woman Up is both an accessible primer on how we got to where we are today and a call to action on the challenges and inequalities that still persist.”

Carrie added: “I am so pleased to have the chance to write this book and tell these stories – highlighting everything we’ve done and the challenges we’re still grappling with.

“Generations of female footballers have fought so hard to get the game where it is now, and I am looking forward to bringing their experiences to a wider audience.”