In a new survey from Women in Football, shocking statistics led to distressing findings. These results underscore the gender discrimination that women in the football industry experience. The survey was able to collect survey responses from 759 women and 100 men. It shows that almost 80% of women experienced harassment over the last year. It’s no wonder that these findings have inspired an outsized reaction among industry leaders and change-makers alike.
Sonia Bompastor, head coach of Chelsea, stated that a staggering 78% of the surveyed women reported experiencing some form of discrimination in the past twelve months. Nearly two-thirds said they had encountered sexism or misogyny during their campaigns. This further uncovers a pervasive culture of discrimination in the sport.
As England footballer and Euro 2025 ambassador Chloe Kelly put it so eloquently. Her comments come after FIFA confirmed that 79% of women working in football had faced discrimination. “If you’re a man in front of the same people they would never ask that question,” Bompastor added, emphasizing the unique challenges faced by women in leadership roles within the sport.
The Impact of Sexism in Football
According to the 2017 survey results, 63.5% of women experienced sexist banter or jokes in their work environments. Additionally, over 56% of respondents reported that nothing has been done when they’ve filed complaints about occurrences of gender-based discrimination. This absence of accountability and protection has forced countless women to keep quiet about breaches. Over a third of female respondents indicated that they don’t trust workforce procedures and are afraid of retaliation, which keeps them from reporting.
Bompastor shared her personal experience with discrimination, stating, “I’m not surprised. Guess what was almost the first question everyone was asking me when I wanted to become a head coach or manager? ‘Do you think it’s possible to be a mum of four kids and be a manager of a high club?’” Whether she knew it or not, her skepticism was a symptom of a larger societal trend which doubts women’s qualifications in the workplace.
Arsenal’s head coach Renee Slegers acknowledged how far her squad had come. Toward the end, she did stress that there is a tremendous amount of work to go yet. I know this isn’t what you want to hear. I’ll admit, I think there is kind of an unfinished here, a work still to be done. We need to stay critical,” she stated. Slegers stressed the important role of awareness in combating blatant and more covert forms of discrimination.
The Call for Solidarity and Action
Given these implications, numerous women’s football advocates have emphasized the need for solidarity among women in the sport. According to Chloe Kelly, player face of the FairPlay campaign, working together with media partners is key to making discrimination history. I know that we as women can be really powerful in pushing back against that and doing better. I can tell you that advocating with [Sky] and other large media outlets to make sure that people understand that this isn’t OK,” she claimed.
The survey revealed that 86% of women working in football feel they must work harder than their male counterparts to gain the same recognition and benefits. Sixty-nine percent of male respondents felt this way. Their answers show an overwhelming agreement on the inequities that exist across the field.
Yet the tragic recent events have heightened demands for transformation in football. Jessica Naz received racist abuse after a League Cup match against Aston Villa ended in a 2-2 draw. After the confrontation, the community of Tottenham came together to support her. They denounced the “appalling” and “shameful” attacks directed at Naz. Their joint statement emphasized the need to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination and gender abuse in the sport.
Moving Forward
Although conversations about gender equality have reached new highs, the struggles for women in football have only just begun. Women In Football’s landmark survey should serve as a wake-up call to all who lead, play in and support the football. Second, it’s a powerful and necessary call to action for all stakeholders.
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