The England women’s families — or the MAD BAPs (mums and dads, boyfriends and partners), as they are becoming known – are paying as much for their entire trip to China as the England men’s WAGs were splashing out on one night’s champagne bill in Germany last summer.

As Hope Powell’s players prepare for their crucial second group A match, against Germany, tomorrow, they have been boosted by the arrival of their friends and families. After the disappointment of conceding an equaliser with the last kick of the game in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Japan, Katie Chapman said that seeing Harvey, her four-year-old son, and Mark, her partner, had helped her to recover.

But while the millions that the England men’s team earn helped their other halves to paint the town red in Baden-Baden during last year’s World Cup finals, Chapman’s family were taking the midfield player out for a coffee and an ice-cream in Shanghai yesterday.

“I love having them here and when we came off the pitch, and it was so frustrating, it made me a lot happier to be able to see them in the crowd,” Chapman said. “I’d find it hard if they weren’t here – it’s very difficult to be away from Harvey – so my mental state’s a lot better than it would have been.”

Five of the WAGs managed to spend £4,000 in an hour when out on the town last summer, but the England women’s team come from a much more representative cross-section of society. The entire trip is costing them £5,000 a pair to stay in an hotel adjacent to the team camp.

“Then they’ve got their food and excursions, so it’s a hell of a lot for them,” Karen Carney, whose father is retired, said. “I’m fortunate my parents can afford to come out. They’re having a brilliant time, making loads of new friends with the families of the other players.

“The FA encouraged them to come out and it is tricky because they can’t afford to pay for the families’ travel, but they organised the package so that it was the same for everyone. We’re one team, our families are another. I think mine are more interested in the sightseeing than in how I get on.”

Chapman’s partner, a former decorator, works night shifts on the London Underground and has had to take leave to cheer on his partner in this tournament. “It is hard, but they wanted to come out,” the Arsenal midfield player said. “Harvey’s looking forward to seeing the pandas in Chengdu.” That leg of the trip will start on Saturday, when England depart Shanghai to face Argentina in the third group match on Monday.

After holding Germany – who beat the South American champions 11-0 on Monday in their opening group A game – goalless in January, avoiding defeat for the first time in the countries’ 15 meetings, Chapman believes that England are in prime condition to attempt a first victory over the world champions.

“There’s so many positives to draw from the Japan game and we’re confident going into the game with Germany. We believe this may be the time we can beat them,” she said. “We’ re physically a lot better, we’re a lot fitter, our mental strength is so much better going into games and the team spirit is fantastic. I don’t think we’ve ever had that [combination]. We’re in the best form we’ve probably ever had.”

Alex Scott, who suffered a back injury during Tuesday’s match, should be fit for tomorrow’s game and Anita Asanté may return to the defence after recovering from a knee injury.

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