Football has the power to bring people together, but why is it still dividing genders? In the last century, there has been a growing popularity of women’s football but unfortunately, female players continue to face many challenges and inequality compared to male players. Ranging from unequal pay to limited opportunities and resources these are persistent disparities in many parts of the world. In this article I will explore the issue of gender inequality in football and how it differentiates in different parts of the world, also my experience with this topic, and steps that can be taken to achieve greater equality in football.
To kick off, in some countries cultural and religious attitudes towards female participation in football contribute to gender inequality in the sport, and an example of this is in some parts of the Middle East, where women’s soccer is still viewed as strange or inappropriate. Fortunately, as time progresses so do the views on the sport, and in Saudi Arabia, the ban on women’s soccer was lifted in 2017, and the national women’s team played its first official match in 2019. On the other side, in some Nordic countries such as Sweden and Norway women’s football is highly appreciated and receives large amounts of investment and support, as well as media coverage.
The gender pay gap in football is one of the biggest challenges professional female players face. A country that has a relatively small gender pay gap in soccer is Norway. In 2017, the Football Association of Norway made the statement that it had reached an agreement with the players union to grant that both female and male players would be paid equally for representing their country. Yet the playing field is far from level. In Spain the women’s soccer team went on strike in 2019, to protest against the low pay. According to a report, the female players in the top professional league earned an average of around 16,000$ per year in comparison to men who earn an average of 240,000$.
My experience with this sport is an excellent example of how gender inequality in football varies between countries. Growing up in Spain, I only saw male players in football. Whether it was in the playground where all the boys in my class were playing or at Camp Nou where Messi or Neymar played, I never knew or thought of girls that played football. After moving to Germany, my friends convinced me to join the soccer team, and despite my doubts, I am now grateful for the opportunity and all the new friends and new countries I visited because of it. Had I not moved to a country where there was not as big of gender inequality in the sport none of this could have happened. This is why we should work toward making this sport as equal as possible so that we can all share the benefits of it no matter our gender.
It seems that for boys, footabll can be frivolous and recreational whilst women are often not afforded that luxury, carrying a political burden with their cleats as they approach the field. Yet, women’s football is not taken seriously, treated as a lofty ideal, an unrealistic ambition. This must stop, sport should be equally respected and enjoyed by everyone. Encouraging change can begin by promoting women’s football at all levels, or simply by joining in on a game no matter the gender you are. By working together, we can create a future where gender inequality in football is a thing of the past.
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