Footballco brand shifts strategy to focus more on documentaries

Mundial film women's football

Mundial has released short documentary Why Is Women’s Foobtall So Gay?. 

The 12-minute film is available through the Mundial YouTube channel, and its release is part of a new strategy from the Footballco brand to focus more on documentary making. Each new print issue of Mundial will have a documentary produced alongside it. 

Why Is Women’s Football So Gay is hosted by journalist and Whippets FC centre-back, Rosie Hewitson and Suky Stroud of Ex Girlfriend FC. Ex-Girlfriend FC hit the headlines in 2023 when they signed a partnership with sexual wellness brand, Uberlube. 

The film features an interview with Joanie Evans of Hackney Women’s FC. Founded in 1986, HWFC were Europe’s first openly-gay football team, and Joanie’s trailblazing efforts laid the groundwork for the rich queer culture in women’s football today. 

The film also features interviews with fans filmed during this year’s Dyke March and insider insight into queer women’s football internet culture - from the ‘they’re lesbians, Stacy’ meme to the infamous ‘couple’s chart’ which visualises players’ inter-football relationships.

Mundial editor-in-chief, James Bird, said: “As a publisher focused on football culture, we’ve covered numerous sub-cultures over the years but felt the relationship between women’s football and queerness had so many layers it necessitated the film treatment and to be handled expertly by women from within that culture.”

Commenting on the editorial strategy, he added: “Mundial has a pedigree for covering football’s interesting but often untold stories through film and we’re looking forward to using this experience to provide deeper context to the themes and stories that appear in each issue.

“Creating these films and working with those involved gives us more opportunities to reach new fans and give more to those who already engage with what we do.”