West Ham United Women Celebrate Historic Season with Katie Zelem and Laia Codina
West Ham United Women's Female Player Pathway celebrated one of its most successful seasons to date, with stars Katie Zelem and Laia Codina surprising young players at The Foundry. The event recognised the achievements of the Foundation's girls' teams, who won six Junior Premier League titles and two national competitions.
What happened?
The West Ham Female Player Pathway celebrated a historic season, with the Foundation's girls' teams enjoying success across multiple age groups. Players from the Under-11s through to the Under-16s gathered to celebrate a remarkable season that saw them win six Junior Premier League titles, two national competitions and two cup trophies.
Why it matters for West Ham United Women
The celebration at The Foundry was designed to recognise every player's contribution throughout the campaign. Families, coaches and teammates came together to celebrate months of dedication, hard work and development. Rows of trophies lined the venue, serving as a reminder of what the teams had achieved together over the course of the season.
What comes next?
Katie Zelem and Laia Codina surprise the young players
As players admired the silverware they had earned, excitement quickly spread around The Foundry when Zelem and Codina walked into the room. For many of the girls, it was an opportunity to meet two players they regularly watch and admire. Rather than simply posing for photographs, both players spent time speaking with every age group, handing out trophies, answering questions and taking part in a training session.
Katie Zelem reflects on how far women's football has come
Zelem was full of praise for the quality she saw from the Foundation players throughout the visit. She said seeing so many young girls playing football together showed just how much the game has changed since she first started playing. Growing up, Zelem often found herself as the only girl competing in boys' teams because there were very few opportunities for girls to play in organised leagues. Looking around The Foundry was a reminder of how much progress has been made.
The impact of the visit
The visit gave players the opportunity to learn directly from footballers competing at the highest level of the women's game. Their advice covered everything from training habits and confidence to dealing with setbacks and enjoying every stage of the journey. The visit was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the West Ham Female Player Pathway, and a reminder of the opportunities available to young players through the programme.
The West Ham Female Player Pathway has become a feature of the club, with success becoming a regular occurrence. The achievements of the 2025/26 campaign stand out as one of the programme's greatest seasons, with players consistently impressing with their performances and collecting league titles while also competing successfully on the national stage.
The celebration at The Foundry was a special occasion, with families, coaches and teammates coming together to celebrate months of dedication, hard work and development. The visit from Katie Zelem and Laia Codina added to the excitement, with the young players thrilled to meet two of their idols. The event was a reminder of the opportunities available to young players through the West Ham Female Player Pathway, and the hard work and dedication that goes into achieving success at the highest level.
