Women’s football is the fastest growing sport in the world. But still, less than 7% of managers are female. For the launch of Football Manager 26 – the most realistic football simulator in gaming, and the first edition of the game to feature women’s teams – Xbox and Sky Sports decided to tackle this problem. How? By creating a first-its-kind programme designed to turn female gamers into real-world coaches. To apply, gamers had to prove their skills by completing a unique challenge in the game. A group of gamers were selected to join a bespoke, up to five-year-long programme, to complete UEFA coaching licenses and get work experience at top clubs.