89% OF WOMEN IN FOOTBALL HAVE EXPERIENCED DISCRIMINATION AT WORK, BUT SURVEY REVEALS SURGE OF OPTIMISM ABOUT GENDER EQUALITY IN THE GAME
- Overall 89% of women responding to the survey have experienced discrimination in the workplace
- Gender-based discrimination is seldom reported – and when reported, no action is taken in a majority of cases
- Sexism, bullying and harassment disproportionately affect women in football from underrepresented ethnic groups, both online and face to face
- Vast majority of women and men are optimistic about gender equality in football industry
A vast majority of women and men working and volunteering in football are optimistic about progress towards gender equality in the industry, new findings from Women in Football (WIF) reveal today – but sexism remains commonplace and complaints often result in no action.
The results of the newest WIF survey, conducted in May 2024, show that 89% of women have experienced discrimination at work. However, 85% of female respondents and 91% of male respondents believe opportunities for women in the football industry will get better.
Despite the public outcry following the Luis Rubiales incident in 2023, the survey also suggests that women reporting discrimination in football are often still not taken seriously.
More than 60% of those who reported an incident said no action was taken as a result – and among those, 16% say they were not even listened to.
And according to the survey data, both the prevalence of gender-based discrimination and the shortcomings of the reporting process are worse for women who work in football and belong to an ethnic group that is underrepresented in the industry (see notes below for breakdown of data).
