Equal Sport Project Launches to Boost UK Women’s Sport

We have seen progress in women and girls’ sport, but there is still a long way to go, sports minister Stephanie Peacock said as a new initiative launched to transform the United Kingdom into a world leader in women and girls’ sport.

The newly formed Equal Sport Project secured backing from major organizations including the English Football Association, Team GB, and England Netball.

The push comes on the heels of a troubling Sporting Insights study. That research revealed fewer than 1% of women working in sports feel gender equality has actually been achieved across the industry.

More than half of those surveyed believe women receive lower pay than men performing identical roles. To tackle the disparity, the initiative zeroes in on five distinct areas requiring better leadership and heavy investment.

The core pillars target equal access for schoolgirls, broader reach and revenue for women’s events, balanced workforces, redesigned governance structures, and equal access to facilities. Several sporting bodies have already stepped up with concrete pledges.

Aquatics GB and the Football Association committed to prioritizing female leadership programs. Meanwhile, Sport England and UK Sport plan to collaborate with funding partners to ensure governance models are designed by both men and women.

The Youth Sport Trust joined the effort by pledging to help schools spot and challenge stereotypes. The trust will also focus on developing male allies to champion equality within physical education and school sports.

Government backing increases project funding. Peacock pointed to upcoming milestones like hosting the 2027 Tour de France Femmes Grand Depart and a bid for the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Additional state backing includes a £400m investment into grassroots sports facilities, doubled priority access to football pitches for women and girls, and direct leadership of the Women’s Sport Taskforce.