Alessia Russo & Khiara Keating will lead us into a new era of storytelling for the Adobe Women’s FA Cup
When we launched the Adobe Women’s FA Cup in November, I brought together two of my biggest passions: my advocacy for Creativity for All — giving everyone the opportunity and platform needed to share their stories and have their voices heard — and my love for sports.
As such, it has been incredible to watch the meteoric rise of women’s football in the UK over the past few years and even greater to hear that the number of women’s teams has doubled in the past seven years (BBC analysis).
It’s not hard to see why the participation amongst women and girls in football has grown with the inspiring success of the England women’s national team, which has had a monumental impact on the perception of women’s football. Despite this explosive growth, we’ve just got started and cannot wait to see how our partnership with The Football Association will support elevating the women’s game even more.
Nothing encapsulates the thrill and emotions of this game more than the FA Cup. Over the past few months, I’ve been fortunate to witness some of these matches in person — from Luton Town Ladies FC to Arsenal Women — the sense of community and buzz you feel on the ground is incomparable. As thrilling as each game has been, I’m even more enthused about the potential of this partnership to transform women’s football for years to come, and that process is already well underway.
Introducing our Champions
Today, we are delighted to reveal Alessia Russo and Khiara Keating as Adobe ambassadors for the competition, supporting us in our mission to raise the stature of the Cup and inspire the next generation of women into football.
“There are millions of girls out there who may not have discovered their love for football because they haven’t been exposed to it yet or for those that have, many still don’t think it could be a career for them. What I hope we’ll do with Adobe is not only bring more fans to the competition but also encourage young girls and women everywhere to believe in their dreams. I’m absolutely buzzing to be a part of that!"
-Khiara Keating, Man City Goalkeeper
At Adobe, our Creativity for All mission couldn’t be truer than for the next generation of young girls dreaming of scoring goals like Alessia or keeping them out like Khiara. In Alessia and Khiara, we have two of the game’s brightest talents — one an established Lioness, European Champion, and part of FIFA’s 2023 Women’s World XI, the other, an incredible, young international talent destined for the very top. But more importantly, they both share our appetite to create a lasting legacy for the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
“There are incredible people working, volunteering, and playing at clubs across the country. But too often, amateur sides in particular, don’t have the time, money, or skills needed to create content that gives our game the attention it deserves. The progress made so far in women’s football is amazing, but if we want to continue this, Adobe’s mission to support clubs across the footballing pyramid through the power of creative technology will be pivotal. By doing so, the game will touch millions more, empower women and girls everywhere to fulfil their dreams and in turn, leave a lasting legacy to be proud of.”
-Alessia Russo, Arsenal Striker
Growing the game
We’ve set our sights on raising awareness for the competition across the full season by supporting players and clubs, from amateur to elite. We’ve provided all clubs in the Cup with free Adobe Express Premium memberships and will run workshops to help teams design standout content quickly and easily.
This is more than a face-lift. The app will enable clubs to connect with their fans on match day and beyond, promote their clubs throughout the season and collaboratively produce marketing content needed to increase sales of merchandise and match-day tickets. To top this all off, brand kits and social media scheduling features within Adobe Express will help clubs keep their content on brand and share it with their fanbase, all from one place.
For lower league clubs, this can have a profound impact. Alessia and Khiara will help deliver some of these workshops, demonstrating the ease and efficiency of Adobe Express for clubs and players alike.
For fans, we launched the first of many customizable social media templates on Adobe Express so more people can celebrate wins, give a shout out to their player of the round, create and something my daughters couldn’t be more excited about, show off their favourite matchday outfits! We have so much more in store with Adobe Express that will spread the magic of the competition, bringing it to more people.
We’re also working closely with The FA, supporting them in developing a comprehensive digital strategy that brings fans closer than ever to the competition, and I’m thrilled to reveal that progress for this is well underway. Our brand-new Adobe Women’s FA Cup channels on Instagram and TikTok have helped us to increase views of the Fourth Round by 1851 percent, compared with last year. These incredible results offer tangible proof of the legacy we’ll create, and the most exciting part is we’re just getting started.
Beyond the game
Aside from the practical support we’ll deliver for The FA and its teams, this partnership is about breaking down barriers and inspiring the next generation to pursue their dreams. With Alessia and Khiara’s support, we’ll illuminate paths previously unimagined for girls across the UK and beyond. Our Adobe Women’s FA Cup Hero Video also out today, is the ultimate expression of that mission. Directed by the talented Margot Bowman, it's an anthem to the courage, resilience, and triumph of women in football, celebrating the progress we've made and the dreams we're still chasing.
The film heroes two fans, Shalani and Kai, who have big dreams for their favourite amateur team. It’s a nod to the progress we’ve made and the sacrifices of players, past and present, many of whom juggle part-time jobs to pursue their passions. From inspiring role models to the pursuit of dreams, our goal for the video was to bring to life the excitement of the competition and capture the magic of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup in a new light.
It's a message of ambition, courage and triumph that encapsulates everything we’re aiming to achieve with this partnership. I couldn’t be prouder, or more excited for what’s about to come.