78% of women working in football faced discrimination in past year

Nearly four in five women (78%) working in football have experienced discrimination in the last 12 months, while nearly two thirds (63.5%) experienced sexist banter or jokes.

The findings come from the latest industry workforce survey by Women In Football (WIF), which highlights the “bleak reality” faced by females working in the sport.

Now in its fifth year, the WIF survey highlights three “indisputable realities” for women in football. These are that discrimination is persistent and widespread, the systems for reporting discrimination are ineffective and that workplace culture itself can be a significant barrier.

WIF Chief Executive, Yvonne Harrison, said: “The headline data from the 2025 survey remains relatively static and, in many areas, bleak. These are not just numbers: they are the lived experiences of people working in the game, and they deserve better.

“We can safely assume that the real levels of discrimination are even higher, with a third of female respondents stating they had not reported incidents due to a lack of trust in workforce processes.”

While the survey highlights the challenges, respondents did express hope for the future – 77% of women are optimistic about the prospects for women in the football industry, while 55% of women said the football sector is one where women can excel.