Women's Football

Podcast: Women and Football Fandom

Please share:
Fulham Lillies, a women-run fan group for supporters of Fulham FC’s women’s and men’s sides [Photo: JulieAnn Thomas/Fulham Lillies]

I’m joined by Niamh O’Mahony from Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and JulieAnn Thomas from Fulham Lillies. We look at fan cultures within women’s football and the challenges in attracting fans. We also look at women fans within the men’s game. What can be done to attract more women to the men’s game and more men to women’s football?

In this podcast, we cover:

Fan cultures: We discuss the unique identity and fan culture within women’s football, which Niamh believes needs to be respected rather than simply copying the men’s game model.

Inclusive environments: We look at inclusivity in women’s football, with many fan groups supporting LGBT+ and family-friendly environments, creating safer spaces compared to men’s football.

Scheduling: We discuss a major challenge in the inconsistent scheduling and locations of women’s matches, which complicates efforts to build a regular, sustainable fan base.

Listening to fans: We explore how important it is for clubs to engage more meaningfully with their fans by actively listening and understanding their preferences, instead of merely aiming to increase numbers.

Matchday experience: We discuss how active fan sections should be encouraged and properly allocated, as they are essential to creating a vibrant match-day atmosphere.

Making football accessible: We look at how to make women’s football more accessible, from clearer transportation options to providing detailed fan guides, especially when matches are held outside central locations.

Group psychology: We learn about the group psychology of crowds, where the presence of women and children at matches can reduce tensions and create more welcoming and less violent environments.

Initiatives: We look at initiatives like Fulham Lilies, which create supportive communities around both men’s and women’s football teams, helping women feel more connected to the game.

Future potential: We see great potential in the growth of women’s football, but real progress will require greater investment from sponsors, clubs, and governing bodies. We talk about new ownership models like Mercury 13, which focus on investing in women’s clubs, though we remain cautious about the long-term sustainability of such initiatives without systemic changes.

The three reports that we cite in this podcast come from She’s A Baller, Visa, and Football Supporters Europe.

I release a new podcast every two weeks, so be sure to subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. You can find Football Travel by Outside Write on AppleSpotifyPlayer.FM and Anchor. Look for it in Google Podcasts too. I’d really appreciate a rating or view if you like what I’m doing as it helps others discover the podcast. 

If you’d like to support the podcast further, please consider buying me a coffee.

The podcast is sponsored by Pibe de Barriothe on-the-ground football experts in Buenos Aires, helping you live the Argentine matchday experience.

Chris

Recent Posts

Guest Post: A Refugee’s Search for a Home in the Beautiful Game

Pre-match at La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors [Photo: Vedran Dedic] In this guest post,…

3 weeks ago

Podcast: 100 Years of Umbro

I welcome Alex Ireland back onto the podcast to discuss his new book on Manchester…

3 weeks ago

Podcast: The Industrial Roots of English Football

My guest is David Proudlove, whose new book Work and Play: The Industrial Roots of…

4 weeks ago

Podcast: The Fall and Rise of Brighton & Hove Albion

Pre-match at Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium [Photo: Outside Write] My guest is Michael…

1 month ago

Podcast: Identity in Balkan Football

The Belgrade Derby as Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) take on Partizan (Photo: Kirsten Schlewitz) I…

1 month ago

Podcast: Georgian Football

Dila Gori v Lok Tbilisi (Photo:Matt Walker / 55 Football Nations) My guest is Luka…

2 months ago