This research summary reveals the experiences of female football coaches through interviews and provides recommendations to improve the structures and experiences for women coaches globally.
Women football coaches are astonishingly successful - 92% of the world's major women's tournaments (FIFA World Cup, Olympics, UEFA Women’s European Championships) since 2000 have been won by female-coached teams. 7 July saw a female coach win the FIFA Women’s World Cup yet again. So why are women coaches not more sought-after and recognised?
Leading up to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a team of leading gender sport scholars conducted first-of-a-kind research interviews with elite, high-performance women football coaches from around the globe. The purpose was to collate and share their experiences, challenges, successes and stories pertaining to their role in professional football as well as draw attention to possible injustices and inequity. Results will raise awareness to the sport landscape women face, create international dialogue, and hopefully stimulate much-needed policy and agenda changes for the governance of football that improves the experiences of women coaches around the world.
Results of this groundbreaking study and recommendations for change were shared at the Equality Summit on 5 July in Lyon, an initiative of Equal Playing Field, Athletes for Hope and Football Women International.
Activity