To understand the beautiful game, we must reckon with its ugly side as well: the gender inequality it perpetuates, the domestic abuse it exacerbates and the systemic barriers that limit women’s involvement. I may be a football fan, but I am a young Nigerian woman first. My passion for the game is often met with scepticism, rooted in stereotypes. I face constant assumptions that my interest is inauthentic and part of an alleged strategy to fit in with or be validated by men. These perceptions frustrate me deeply and represent a much larger societal problem of trivializing female fandom. 

Unfortunately, I must count myself lucky that I am not one of the many female football fans who are subject to egregious acts of verbal and physical abuse, simply for daring to exist in what is still a male-dominated space. The culture surrounding football, though it can foster expressions of joy and affection, may also be a forum for violent manifestations of anger which are too often directed at women. This is why there is a significant correlation between the incidence of domestic abuse and football games. For example, domestic abuse reports increase significantly whenever the national men’s team of England plays, even when they win. 

The effects of patriarchal structures are felt by female football fans and professionals alike. Women are underrepresented in all aspects of football, from club leadership to coaching and refereeing. There is also a significant and persistent football wage gap between men and women. Despite the growth that women’s football has seen in recent years, there is still a disparity in media coverage and viewership between the two. Moreover, professional female footballers are not exempt from the abuse and assault that their fans face. This is a reality we were reminded of when Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish football federation, forcibly kissed Spanish footballer  Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s 2023 Women’s World Cup win, overshadowing what should have been an occasion of pride and celebration. Though there have been strides towards achieving gender equity, football still feels at times like a game for men.  

As an avid fan and a Nigerian woman, I must reckon with the fact that I love a sport that does not always love me back. This is the reality of male-dominated sports, where the game has become intertwined with traditional notions of manhood and masculine identity. To some, the participation of women presents a threat to this identity, giving rise to vehement opposition. It is not surprising that, when female participation in football started to gain traction in England in the early 1900s, the English Football Association (FA) banned their participation in the sport, deeming the game ‘quite unsuitable for females.’ In the same way that women have had to fight for their right to vote and to work, they have also had to combat exclusion on and off the pitch. I am grateful for the generations of women, from Mary Hutson, who led the first women’s football club, to Megan Rapinoe, who advocated with the United States National Women’s Team for equal pay, who continue to challenge the status quo and make space for women in the game.  

Though I am just a spectator, I too have a role to play. I feel compelled to be unapologetic in my fandom, pushing people to examine their own prejudice and to realize that the sport belongs to all. I am called to be intentional in supporting women’s football—starting close to home with Nigeria’s Super Falcons, who have dominated the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and have just completed their quest, dubbed ‘Mission X’, to win a record tenth title. My hope is that the continued growth in advocacy for female fans and players will further bring women out from the margins and into the mainstream of the beautiful game.