Women in football: participation, development, and gender disparities

This chapter explores the current landscape of women's football in England, examining how the past 100 years have shaped contemporary attitudes and perceptions of the game. To do so, we trace the journey from the emergence of organised, competitive sport as a traditionally male-dominated arena, before exploring the early-20th-century success of women's football. We then outline the impact of the 50-year ban on the women's game and its subsequent revival and growth in the late 20th century. The chapter also considers how these historical developments have shaped the lived experiences of female football coaches and questions whether meaningful progress is truly being made across the women's game as a whole, particularly in light of persistent barriers such as a lack of role models, gender stereotyping, sexism, and sexual harassment.