Privately funded by the backers of professional Italian women's clubs, FIEFF organised Italian-based tournaments in 1969 and 1970, then a World Cup hosted in Mexico in 1971.
[1] In 1969 they approached Harry Batt, manager of Chiltern Valley Ladies, to form an England select team for the first Coppa Europa per Nazioni competition in northern Italy that November.
With accommodation and rail travel provided by sponsors Martini & Rossi,[2] In the semi-final of the four nation tournament Batt's England team met Denmark (represented by the BK Femina club) at Aosta Valley in the north-west corner of Italy.
The English president of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Sir Stanley Rous, was said to be "investigating" the World Cup in Mexico.
Owen said: "Going to Mexico was a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime experience, however (the matches were played in front of thousands of fanatical supporters, with the final staged at the Aztec Stadium), so I am sure that she felt that it was worth it.