Research summary
Our research examines the development of women’s football worldwide and the increasingly higher profile role of women in football locally, nationally and internationally.
While more and more girls and women are playing the sport and there is growing media coverage of elite women’s football, there remains a significant gulf with the men’s game.
We compare women’s and men’s football, examining how professional clubs provide organisational support, integrate the squads at different levels and attempt to enhance gender equality and gender equity.
Our research also investigates the promotion and sustainability of women’s football as a commercial product, including what influences fan demand.
We consider fans of women’s football - how they can be categorised and understood in groups.
And we examine aspects of elite performance - what determines international performance in women’s football, and what factors affect competitive balance and competitive intensity.
Individual projects are investigating:
- the impact of women’s super-clubs on competitive balance, using the UEFA Women’s Champions League as a case study
- competitive balance and intensity in European men’s and women’s football, using the UEFA Champions League as a case study
- younger generations of fans of women’s football
- the impacts of diversity initiatives on gender equality in professional football workplaces
- cross-country comparative analysis of policies to support the development of women’s football