Over Half of Women Experience Sexism at Football Matches

Kick It Out has launched a campaign to address sexism and misogyny in football, revealing that 52% of women fans have faced sexist behaviour or language on matchdays. Despite this, 85% of the 1,502 women and non-binary fans surveyed by the charity had never reported such abuse, citing doubts about its seriousness or impact.

Although the research showed sexism was still a significant issue for female match-goers, as well as for non-binary fans, 77% said they felt safe attending matches and their experiences had been improving over time. But four in 10 stated that stadiums aren’t providing facilities that would enable a fully inclusive experience for fans, such as access to sanitary facilities, female staff in stadiums and limited or no access to female or relevant size options in the club shop. 

The study highlights that ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, those with disabilities and younger people are also more likely to feel unsafe and experience sexism. 

The campaign aims to challenge and report sexism, responding to a rise in reports over the past two seasons. The research found that 42% of regular fans encountered sexist behaviour, such as questioning their rule knowledge, wolf-whistling, or harassment, with some reporting inappropriate touching, physical violence, or sexual assault.

Additionally, 60% of women have heard sexist behaviour dismissed as "banter." Nearly half (48%) witnessed or experienced sexist language in football settings, including stands, public transport, or venues. Of those, 53% were told they should be "elsewhere," 46% received lewd requests, and 27% encountered sexually aggressive language.

In 2014, a female employee revealed sexist emails sent by the former chief executive of the Premier League to his friends, leading to his apology.

In 2018, the British Football Association faced backlash and had to apologise after sharing a photo on X of the England women's football team with the caption: "Scrub up well, don't they?"

In Spain, former football federation president Luis Rubiales will face trial for his unsolicited kiss of women’s national team player Jenni Hermoso in August last year.