Purpose: Women’s football faces an existential threat from covid-19. Using case studies, we explore the covid-19 responses of three highly-ranked national football associations (Australia, England, and the USA) and their professional women’s football leagues to: (a) compare and shed new insights into the wide range of phased responses, and (b) establish recommendations for other nations to navigate major crises with their social and ethical responsibilities to women’s football. Methodology: Drawing on institutional theory, a framework analysis was undertaken examining 71 articles to analyse the gendered global impacts of covid-19 on women’s football. Findings: Results highlight several important recommendations for nations to consider during the pandemic: (1) maintain active communication with the community to allay worries about the future of women’s football, (2) gather support from health and government officials, (3) seek out commercial and broadcasting partnerships to drive revenue, and (4) the interests of women’s football are best served when responsibility for the elite women’s league does not rest (solely) with national football associations. Originality: The study is first to explore institutional pressures and football governing bodies during covid-19 and provides a framework for nations to manage major crises. Social implications: We argue sport is an interwoven part of society and cannot be separated from gender equality issues irrespective of the pandemic.
Citation
Clarkson, B. G., Parry, K. D., Culvin, A., & Pope, S. (2022). An institutional analysis of gender (in)equalities, covid-19 and governance of elite women’s football in Australia, England and the USA. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, 12(4), 459-478. https://doi.org/10.1108/sbm-01-2021-0004
Journal Article Type
Article
Acceptance Date
Nov 17, 2021
Online Publication Date
Feb 2, 2022
Publication Date
Aug 11, 2022
Deposit Date
Dec 3, 2021
Publicly Available Date
Dec 3, 2021
Journal
Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Copyright Statement
This article is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial International Licence 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0) and any reuse must be in accordance with the terms outlined by the licence.
