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Representation Matters: Increase Visibility of Women’s Football
The latest Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People survey highlights a persistent gender gap in team sport and activity levels. While 69% of boys aged 5-16 participate in team sports, only 47% of girls of the same age group do.
Overall activity levels follow a similar trend, 44% of girls of the same age group are active compared to 51% of boys. Team sports play a crucial role in developing life skills, confidence, and resilience. Missing out on these opportunities can have lasting negative effects on girls.
This persistent 7% gender gap stems from the cumulative impact of early years stereotyping, the challenges of puberty, and the pressures of social media, as report Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls: Tackling Teenage Disengagement highlights.
75% of girls aged 13-18 years have experienced ‘disparaging statements’ about girls in sport. (womeninsport.org)
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
Progress is happening. In the past four years:
✅Women and girls’ participation in football has surged by 56% (FA, Inspiring Positive Change campaign).
✅ Barclays Women’s Super League attendance has increased by 239% since 2021, making it the most-followed women’s league globally.
✅ Scottish grassroots football saw record-breaking participation for the second consecutive year, with 22,977registered female players in 2023.
The Lionesses’ success also played a role. After their Euro2022 triumph, participation in girls’ football rose by 1.5%. Dream Deficit research found that 90% of those who watched the 2023 Women’s World Cup felt “happy and proud”. However, the girls most inspired to play were those already engaged in sport—just over a third of all girls.
These statistics underscore the importance of fostering a love of sport from an early age and ensuring girls feel welcome and supported in football.
So, how can you set the stage for more girls to get involved and stay engaged with your club?
Create a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment
As a kid’s club owner, you don’t need us to tell you how to do this. You foster a welcoming and inclusive space from the moment the kids in your club step through the door or onto the field. The key is keeping this ‘inclusive’ culture front of mind with everything you do.
1. Actively promote female players and teams
Subliminal messaging goes a long way. As it stands, men are2-3x more likely than women to be mentioned when it comes to discussing sport and sporting achievement, reinforced by consistent representation in the media.
Representation matters. The images, language, and stories you share shape how young players perceive football.
✅ Feature girls’ teams and femaleplayers in your club’s social media, website, and promotional materials.
✅ Highlight female sporting success alongside men’s football to normalise equal recognition.
✅ Celebrate achievements at all levels- grassroots, national, and global.
Let’s break these barriers together by making women’s football more visible.
2. Provide visible Female Role Models
A huge factor to keeping girls engaged in football is seeing women they can relate to. Having female coaches, mentors, or older players involved in sessions can make a world of difference.
Showcase positive stories of female footballers- whether from your club, or global icons such as:
Sarah Crilly (Scotland): A Scottish Women’s Premier League player whose incredible journey to her first Scotland cap is a must-hear (check out her episode on our podcast In the Club here)
Lucy Bronze (England): A UEFA Women’s Player of the Year award winner and a key part in the Lionesses’ success, including winning the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros.
Marta (Brazil): Known as the ‘Queen of Football’, she is a six-time FIFA Best Women’s Player award winner and the all-time top scorer in Women’s World Cup history.
Alex Morgan (USA): A multiple World Cup and Olympic gold medallist, known for her speed, finishing ability, and advocacy for gender equality in sport.
💡Tip: When discussing sporting success, balance men’s and women’s football examples. This fosters inclusion for girls and helps young boys see women as equals in the sport.
3. Encourage Peer Support
For many girls, stepping on the pitch can feel intimidating-especially when only 43% of girls say they have the same sporting choices as boys in school.
✅ Busy System: Let girls bring a friend or pair them with an experienced player to boost confidence.
✅ Older Girls as Mentors: Encourage older players to guide younger ones through challenges.
✅ Open-Door Culture: If you have female coaches, reinforce that girls can seek support and advice freely.
4. Build Confidence and Challenge Stereotypes
Actively promote the message that football is for everyone. Challenge outdated stereotypes by using gender-neutral language and focusing feedback on ability and effort:
✔ “That was brilliant footwork”
✔ “You tried really hard today”
✔ “I love how well you work as a team!”
✔ “You gave 100% today!”
✔ “Your dribbling has improved so much!”
✔ “That was a powerful shot-well done!”
Keep Girls in the Game
Research shows that girls are 3x more likely to quit football than boys. To combat this:
✅ Offer girl-specific retention programmes that blend fun, social activities, and training.
✅ Provide female coaches and role models to inspire long-term participation.
✅ Offer flexible training schedules to accommodate school and other commitments.
Accelerating Action for a Fairer Future
Football clubs have the power to drive meaningful change, ensuring that girls have the same opportunities to thrive as boys. By taking concrete steps in representation, inclusion, confidence building, and tackling discrimination head on, clubs can be part of a movement that accelerates action for gender equality.
As Stephanie Hilborne, CEO or Women in Sport, says "If we are to give girls an equal chance to thrive, we must surround them with the expectation that they will succeed."
Now is the time for clubs to step up, break barriers, and help shape a future where every girl knows she belongs in football.
Because every time a young girl steps onto a football pitch, the sport takes one step closer to true inclusion.
