Women coach numbers fall as grassroots football faces funding and childcare barriers

The number of women coaches in the UK has fallen despite greater visibility for elite women's sport, according to research reported by BBC Sport. A UK Coaching study found a 6% decline in female coaches in recent years, with the number of women volunteering as coaches down 10%. The fall is particularly pronounced at grassroots level, where volunteers help sustain participation and player development.

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New football data released this week illustrates the importance of female coaches to young players. Research by the Bloomsbury Football Foundation in association with the Football Association found that half of girls playing organised football would confide in a female coach about something they could not tell a parent or guardian. For male coaches, the figure was one in eight. Women account for only 7% of grassroots football coaches in England, BBC Sport reported.

The research also identified gaps in participation and access to coaches of the same gender. It found that 13% of teenage girls played organised football at least weekly, compared with 46% of boys. Among girls who played, 49% were mostly or always coached by someone of their own gender; the equivalent figure for boys was 85%.

Qualification costs are among the obstacles described by coaches. Former England international Fara Williams told the BBC that she had wanted to enter coaching but needed work that would cover her bills. BBC Sport reported that a C licence costs £650, while the Uefa Pro Licence costs £14,000. Manchester Laces coach Zoe Conning said she received help funding her B licence but paid her own travel expenses and could not pursue the A licence because of its cost.

Family responsibilities present another barrier. Former England defender Anita Asante described balancing coaching opportunities with having a young child and wanting time with her family after her playing career. UK Coaching's Emily Handyside called for more part-time positions, job-sharing arrangements and protections allowing coaches to return after time away. She also highlighted gender stereotypes that can leave women struggling to establish credibility.

The grassroots decline contrasts with increased female representation in the Women's Super League. Eight of its 14 managers are now women, compared with four of 12 in January 2023, according to the BBC. Handyside is promoting UK Coaching's new Women in Coaching Plan and wants government-backed measures linking funding to coach retention.