More than the Score - Sexism in football: A problem that isn't going away

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English anti-discrimination campaign group Kick It Out has told BBC Sport that, by the end of February 2026, they had received more than double the amount of reports of sexism at football games compared to the same stage of last season.

So why is it happening? How can it be stopped? And what kind of impact can receiving sexist abuse at football have on a person?

The BBC’s Sophia Hartley is joined by Dr Misia Gervis, a chartered member of the British Psychological Society, and Zoe Hitchen, a former English Football League club photographer who now co-leads GIRLFANS, a photography-led project documenting women and underrepresented football fans.

Zoe discusses some of the sexist behaviour she was subjected to while working in football, including being groped by a club mascot, while Misia explains why some people feel emboldened to behave in a sexist way at football matches and how people can tackle behaviour of that nature.

Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like para-skiing star Menna Fitzpatrick, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, South African football icon Benni McCarthy and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.

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Published on Tuesday, 24th March 2026.

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