Football offers a vast playing field to promote gender equality, and crucially, the involvement of all players and stakeholders is necessary to achieve it.
Sports promote values, and football, being the world's most popular sport, holds immense potential for advancing gender equality. However, gender disparities persist: 95% of football coaches and 91% of referees are men, with the first woman refereeing a World Cup match only in 2022. These statistics highlight missed opportunities and systemic barriers for women to enjoy the benefits of sports.
Despite significant contributions, women face obstacles in coaching, refereeing, and management due to entrenched power dynamics. The lack of media coverage and sponsorship further perpetuate women's invisibility in football, while inequities in investments and salaries persist, reflecting gender-based economic disparities.
Yet, there is hope. FIFA recognizes women's football as a major growth opportunity. By dismantling structural barriers and challenging social norms, football's potential can be leveraged to champion gender equality. It's time to foster a football culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion for all.
On International Women’s Day 2024, UNESCO organized the "Football: Score a Goal for Women" exchange session, bringing together leading sportswomen and professional football associations to address the structural inequalities, discrimination, and gender-based violence prevalent in football. Through in-depth discussions, participants identified specific challenges faced by girls in the Benjamin category up to the World Champions of football, and shared concrete strategies and recommendations to drive positive change for gender equality in sports.
Building an equal playing field
Football provides a platform for personal growth, physical well-being, and social inclusion. Yet, despite its many advantages, women and girls often face unique barriers in their pursuit of football. The family environment, societal stereotypes and expectations can be the first obstacles that push girls to quit sports or even never try them in the first place:
To confront societal pressures and overcome discouraging remarks, girls must cultivate inner strength. Through our program, we support over 3,000 female coaches, empowering them to guide more than 30,000 girls to bolster their confidence.
Stepping up to the goal: Media key role
Media is a powerful agent for change, uniquely positioned to champion gender equality within the sport. Through its platforms and narratives, the media has the capacity to challenge stereotypes, amplify the voices of female athletes, and reshape societal perceptions of women's football.
By providing equitable coverage and representation across all levels of the game, from the streets to professional leagues, the media can inspire young girls to pursue their football dreams and empower women to excel on the pitch. Additionally, by highlighting the barriers female players face, the media can spark important conversations and drive systemic change, including in investment strategies:
In tandem with media efforts, the support of sponsors plays a crucial role in advancing gender equality in football. Sponsors can leverage their platforms and resources to amplify the visibility of women's football, driving increased investment, participation, and opportunities for female athletes:
Media coverage brings in fans, who, in turn, attract sponsors.
Matching investment with ambition: the key to victory
The disparity in salaries between women and men football players is stark, as highlighted by the collective agreement for football players in Spain. While male players receive a salary of €200,000, their female counterparts earn significantly less at €16,000. This significant wage gap underscores the ongoing challenges and inequalities faced by women in the world of professional sports.
In many cases, women's teams heavily rely on financial assistance from men's teams. To advance equal financial opportunities, experts emphasize the need to update this incentive structure and enable women's clubs to generate their own revenue, crucial for nurturing equality in sports. Some clubs have confidently altered the status quo, showcasing the advantages of gender equality. For example, in 2017, Lewes Football Club aligned ticket prices for women's matches with those of men's matches, resulting in a fourfold increase in attendance. This move, although challenging, emphasized the value of women's football. Great quality deserves recognition and investment:
When the Club made the decision to allocate equal resources to the women's team as it did to the men's, the women players began generating significantly more revenue. We've secured substantial sponsor contracts, which contribute to the men's income as well.
Transparency in football clubs is an essential step for achieving equal pay for women. Without clear financial visibility, it's difficult to advocate for fairness.
Passing the ball: teamwork between women and men
The importance of men actively participating in building a more gender-inclusive football environment cannot be overstated. As influential figures within the sport, men possess the power to challenge traditional norms, advocate for equality, and foster an inclusive culture where women's participation is valued and respected:
Men need to understand that we are here and that they need to pass the ball to us: we need female presidents in the leagues, in the federations, in the government... If women are not there, they won't know what they need.
Ultimately, embracing gender equality in football not only enhances the overall experience for everyone involved but also contributes to a more equitable and progressive society.
Call to Action
On 8 March 2024, UNESCO joined forces with women from around the world and across the football ecosystem to issue a Call to Action for gender equality in and through sports. The 10-point Call to Action addresses a range of issues from fair and equal pay, prize monies, pricing policies and investments to the creation of mentorship programs and role models for girls. It recommends the creation of associations and/or labor unions for women players to provide a platform for women players to voice their concerns, be informed, negotiate collectively, and promote gender equality in football. It also addresses the pervasive gender-based harassment and violence in the field of football, as witnessed around the world. And were reminded that this extends to the online world.
Gender harassment is universal. In football you can hear things like ' go back to the kitchen' among many other kinds of violences. And social media platforms exacerbate this harassment.
Fit4Life: Gender Equality in and through Sports
UNESCO contributes to a more equitable sports world by advocating for gender equality and addressing barriers that limit women's participation. Through research, advocacy, and partnerships, UNESCO promotes diversity, inclusion, and social cohesion in sports, fostering a fairer and more inclusive sporting environment for all.
Through its "Fit for Life" UNESCO program promotes physical education and sports to encourage healthy lifestyles and overall well-being. It integrates inclusive physical activity into education, advocates for equitable sports participation, and supports policies for active living, aiming to empower individuals of all genders for healthier lives worldwide.
