Arsenal Women awarded Islington’s highest honour

At a special ceremony in the Council Chamber on Friday (21 November), Cllr Jason Jackson, Mayor of Islington, bestowed the honour on the team, who inspired the whole borough when they won the UEFA Women’s Champions League in May.  

Captain Kim Little, head coach Renée Slegers, Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley, CEO Richard Garlick, and Co-Chair Josh Kroenke were at the ceremony to receive commemorative certificates on behalf of the squad. 

Arsenal Women are the latest in a long line of inspirational people and organisations to have been awarded Freedom of the Borough – including the Whittington Health NHS staff for their work during the Covid-19 pandemic, Britain’s first Black female headteacher, Yvonne Conolly CBE, and Jenette Arnold OBE, who came to Islington as a child of the Windrush generation and became the borough’s representative on the London Assembly. 

Cllr Una O’Halloran, Leader of Islington Council, said: “One of the highlights of my leadership so far has been celebrating the success of the Arsenal Women’s team.  

“Not only have they achieved sporting greatness by becoming European champions for a second time, but they’ve also helped inspire a new generation of fans to support and engage with women’s sport.  

“The Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour we can award, and helps cement the club’s place at the heart of Islington’s sporting and cultural identity.” 

Richard Garlick, Arsenal’s, CEO, said: “Our women’s team was born in Islington when it was started by Arsenal in the Community as a safe and inclusive space for women and girls to play football in 1987. Almost 40 years later it means so much to everyone at Arsenal to receive the Freedom of the Borough once again – and celebrate our Champions League triumph together.

“This borough is our home. Everything we are and everything we stand for is shaped by this community, and we’re committed to ensuring our success continues to inspire it.”

The Freedom of the Borough was awarded not only in recognition of the team’s achievements in winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League, but also in inspiring a new generation of fans to engage with the women’s game.  

During the 2024/25 season, the team played nine of their Women’s Super League (WSL) matches at the Emirates Stadium, with an average attendance of 34,110, and a high of 56,748 in a 5-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in February. 

For the 2025/26 season, all 11 of their WSL matches are being played at the Emirates Stadium, as well as their UEFA Women’s Champions League knockout matches, should they qualify.  

After winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League last season, the team held a trophy lift celebration outside Emirates Stadium with 10,000 supporters coming out the enjoy the historic moment with the squad.