In packed stadiums and on screens watched by millions, elite athletes in various sports push their bodies to the limit. But behind the excitement and celebration of professional sport lies a clear and ongoing inequality: women are still paid far less than men.
This investigation examines the gender pay gap in sport, focusing on the differences in prize money, salaries, sponsorships, and media coverage. Using data, authentic experiences, and expert insight, this article explores why the gap continues to exist — and who benefits from a system that allows it to continue.
Why does the gender pay gap exist?
Unfortunately, the gender pay gap in sports exists due to a mix of historical bias, less media coverage, lower revenue, and, unfortunately, ingrained stereotypes. Female participation in sports is growing rapidly; however, less investment is being injected into women’s sports, which in turn leads to lower viewership, creating a cycle.
Issues with the gender pay gap
You may be wondering, why is this an issue? This is an issue because it reflects and sustains systemic inequality, stemming from historical exclusion, lower media coverage, reduced investment and biased governance. On average, female athletes earn significantly less than their male counterparts across many sports. In an extensive survey (Office for National Statistics) comparing salaries, female athletes made a median of about $15,232 per year, compared with the males who made $38,008 – this is a gap of almost 150%. To further put the pay gap into perspective, no women appeared in the top 100 highest-paid athletes worldwide in 2024, according to Sportico’s rankings. Some sports are making progress, such as the Grand Slams of tennis, which offer equal prize money for men’s and women’s champions. Unfortunately, outside those top events, the pay gap still exists.
The gender pay gap affects female athletes. This can lead to financial insecurity, shorter careers, and fewer opportunities for full-time training. Many women have no other choice but to juggle professional sport with other part-time jobs, which can increase the risk of burnout and injury. Women’s sports teams and leagues are also affected. When athletes are underpaid, leagues struggle to attract and retain talent. This slows the overall growth, quality and competitiveness of women’s sports.
Furthermore, this also has a ripple effect, as it significantly impacts young girls and future athletes. Seeing unequal pay can prevent participation and ambition in these young athletes. This is because a message is being produced due to the pay gap, and that message is essentially saying that sport is not a viable or valued career path for women. As a whole, the pay gap affects a wide range of people and areas. Still, it also hinders the growth and development of women in sport and the efforts to prevent the pay gap in sport, as the sports industry and economy are severely impacted.
Underpaying women limits investment, audience growth and commercial potential. This, in turn, leads to clubs, sponsors, and broadcasters missing out on beneficial revenue and innovation. Ultimately, society as a whole is impacted. In 2026, sports are evident and extremely influential; inequality in sports reinforces gender stereotypes, as well as somewhat normalising unequal pay in other industries. Addressing the gender pay gap in sport therefore benefits not only the athletes, but also fairness, representation, and opportunity across society.
Why should people care?
People should care about the gender pay gap because, ultimately, it is fundamentally about fairness, opportunity, and how society views people’s work. In today’s society, when there are many protests about gender equality, pay gaps in sport will hinder the progression of equal pay. When people are paid less because of their gender, it creates inequality that affects not only income and money made, but also career development, confidence and long-term financial security.
Secondly, the gender pay gap also has wider consequences. It can reduce economic growth, increase poverty rates, and contribute to unequal access to housing, education and healthcare – these are vital assets to everyone. In industries like sport, which is so popular and widely watched by people around the world, unequal pay between men and women sends a strong message about whose success matters more. Once again, this causes a ripple effect, as the consequences of this influence extend far beyond the workplace.
Fundamentally, caring about the gender pay gap is about creating a more equal future. When pay is fair, talent is appropriately rewarded, and industries become more sustainable. Addressing the gender pay gap benefits everyone, not just women, by promoting fairness in the workplace and society.
Overall, the gender pay gap in sports has numerous repercussions. For female athletes, lower pay often leads to financial insecurity, and many are forced to take on second jobs to meet their individual financial needs. Part-time training and retiring earlier are also consequences for female athletes, as they often cannot afford to continue. This can then lead to additional stress, decline in performance levels and raise the risk of injury due to limited access to medical care.
For women’s sports as a whole, the pay gap slows down gender growth. Underpaid female athletes and underfunded leagues struggle to attract sponsorships, media coverage and young talent. This also creates a cycle in which women’s sports remain less visible and profitable compared to men’s sports.
What solutions are there?
Solutions to these issues include increased media coverage, as well as better broadcasting and promotional companies, which are crucial for driving revenue and changing perceptions. Currently, some progress is being made, with some national teams achieving equal pay; however, significant gaps remain. In addition, social media has become an enormous branch of society, and female athletes have started to use different social media platforms in order to promote themselves or their sport with the aim of building brands. This is a positive new avenue for women in sport.
Based on a 2025 survey, in the UK, women in sports earn significantly less than men, with an overall median gender pay gap of around 12.8%, meaning women earn roughly 87p for every £1 men earn. Currently, 58% of female athletes earn less than $25,000 annually from their respective sports. These stats highlight how big an issue the pay gap in sport and gender equity is; it’s not an acute pay gap, it’s a canyon.
Kyrgios vs Sabalenka controversy
An example of the conflict this topic has is a recent tennis match between Australian Nick Kyrgios and female World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, which was labelled “The battle of the Sexes”. Initially, this is a rather heavy label to place on a match like this; it foreshadows a rivalry between the two genders, and this is not what we want to achieve. We want equality and fairness for both genders, and this match didn’t exactly help the cause.
Kyrgios won the tie 6-3,6-3, and this match-up led to strong opinions and rightfully so. Kyrgios is ranked 671st in the men’s rankings, and he showcased the gap in quality between the two players throughout the match. Even though Sabalenka didn’t embarrass herself by any means and put in a strong performance, this tie highlighted the significant physiological differences. This didn’t do much for gender equity in sports; if anything, it stalled the progress due to the reaction online after the match finished.
Furthermore, other tennis professionals came out afterwards and voiced their opinions on the purpose of this unique event. Pro tennis player Iga Swiatek argued that the event was not a meaningful step for gender equality. Like many, Swiatek believes that women’s tennis is already strong enough and doesn’t need a cross-gender singles match to “prove itself”. This is what women in sport want to move away from, not maintain.
Controversially, this specific match included special rules. Sabalenka’s side of the court was reduced by 9%, and both players were limited to one serve rather than the usual two. The tennis hierarchy’s thought process behind this was to aim to balance the apparent physical differences in order to make the match fairer. However, many fans and commentators criticised these decisions, with many saying the match felt “artificial” and “unfair”. This is another debate about whether this benefits gender equality in sport or not. Obviously, the intention was not to question the fairness and competitive balance of the match, though this was the unfortunate outcome.
Viewers came out after the event concluded, and many had strong comments. “Anything a man can do, a woman can do better” was being posted all over social media, this use of sarcasm was trending for days after the event. Others stated, “it wasn’t a match, it was a beating”. One spokesperson said that it was a “sad day for tennis”. These are just a few comments from different individuals, and these are very demoralising, especially for female athletes and particularly Sabalenka herself.
On the other hand, it wasn’t all bad news for Kyrgios and Sabalenka, reading comments on social media, many people showed support to the two athletes, and tennis as a whole. “A step In the right direction”, “An exciting contest between two amazing athletes”, “Result aside, I loved seeing Sabalenka step onto this stage with confidence and skill”. These are just an acute number of positive comments from Twitter and Instagram. This is what people should be spreading across social media, rather than trying to insult athletes, showing support and gratitude will not only protect people’s feelings, but It will induct more people onto the right path of supporting all athletes as well as helping females in sport to grow.
This event has reinforced stereotypes as Kyrgios won in straight sets despite Sabalenka being world No.1, and to some, this fed into outdated stereotypes that men are superior to women in sports. Subsequently, Sabalenka came out after the match and stated that the event “wasn’t about proving anything” She went on to express her sadness that people misunderstood the intent of the “Battle of the Sexes”, as its purpose was to celebrate the sport, not diminish Women’s tennis. Kyrgios also stated in his post-match interview that the event is “exciting” and a “positive” step for the sport’s attention.
Interview with female footballer
For former Plymouth Argyle player Zoe it was always her dream to play for her hometown side and how much fun she had whilst playing for the academy. Unfortunately for Zoe, she wasn’t offered a first-team contract and was released at the end of the 2022-23 season.
She went on to say that she loved every opportunity she had at Plymouth and that putting on that green shirt were the proudest moments of her life thus far. She mentioned how her family helped and pushed her with her youth career at Plymouth, and even though she wasn’t offered a scholarship, she was forever grateful.
As I continued speaking to Zoe, I had to ask for her opinions on the current gender pay gap in sports and how she feels women are treated in today’s society in the industry. Zoe expressed her disappointment in society for how women are treated in certain sports. With the levels of sexism increasing each year, women in sports are becoming more at risk of being on the receiving end of hate crimes.
“There were occasions of course when comments were made by different people regarding women’s football. It hurts because you put in the effort and the graft and then you look on social media to a bunch of offensive comments” Zoe stated. This is a first-hand insight into how it can be for a young woman in football. There have been stereotypes about women’s football for a while now. Zoe shared “its difficult because it seems there is always going to be a stigma around women’s football”. Stereotyping young women in not just football, but all sports limits opportunities, respect and progression in gender treatment in the industry.
Even though women are at risk of being mistreated, Zoe also mentioned that there are numerous opportunities for women to have a greater influence in sport, and that the years to come are exciting for young female athletes.
When discussing the gender pay gap, Zoe believes females “are on the right track” to achieving equal pay. She did explain how, in certain sports, just like any job, equal pay shouldn’t apply, as in some scenarios, some performers should be earning more than others. Zoe agreed that the gender pay gap is probably more severe than it needs to be, as she believes that females in the sports industry should be earning more pay.
“I train and compete just as hard as anyone else, and I dream just as big. I believe that equal effort deserves equal treatment and equal pay”. This presented how Zoe feels emotionally and her feelings towards the pay gap in football. For many years now, the pay gap has been outdated and unfair, while presenting female footballers as equals and deserving of recognition and pay, is still not being fulfilled.
Regrettably, Zoe and many other young women in the sports industry have, at some point in the early stages of their careers, experienced a lack of motivation and a lack of belief in their respective futures. The gender pay gap reinforces gender stereotypes in sports, and for young female athletes, they won’t have the motivation to want to succeed, as they see the difference in how they are treated. It’s not only gender stereotypes that affect these females, but it’s also access to fewer resources and facilities, as the sports aren’t funded fairly, fewer role models are also in women’s sports, physical and emotional challenges, and financial barriers are all significant effects for young female talent.
This reiterates that women, even from a young age, feel the effects of the gender pay gap. At times, young girls, especially in football, are being made out to be that they aren’t good enough and that they shouldn’t be earning anywhere near as much as the men, when in truth, we should be supporting women in sport to achieve higher pay to increase a fair, healthy and credible sports industry.
How can we improve the gender pay gap?
The relevant hierarchies need to invest early and equally in funding for both genders, especially for youth programmes, facilities, and coaching, as this will show athletes that, from a young age, they are respected and valued equally. We must also ensure that pay structures are transparent, as this makes it harder to justify unfair differences and is also easier for athletes to negotiate collectively.
Equal media coverage is also vital for the development of women’s sports and for gaining popularity. This is because when audiences grow, sponsors and revenue will follow. More broadcast time and prime scheduling for women’s games will help towards achieving this. Finally, as mentioned earlier, social media is a fantastic platform for increasing media coverage; athletes shouldn’t be performing unpaid promotions. This should be the responsibility of the sports hierarchies.
Governing bodies need to start taking accountability. National and international governing bodies can mandate equal prize money in sports; tennis has already begun to do so, which is a significant step; however, more sports need to follow suit in order to reduce the pay gap and address stereotypes. This establishes fairness in sports for both genders, which will facilitate the ongoing stereotypes and abuse.
Cultural change has arguably the most impactful potential. This starts with fans of sports, parents and schools. Teaching children from a young age about equality and fairness in sports, and encouraging fans to treat athletes and sports with equal respect, will contribute to building a brighter future for women in sports.
According to European parliamentary research, 85% of coverage is dedicated to male athletes. The International Olympic Committee currently has just 38 female members out of a total of 152, and fewer than 20% of the members in the governing structures of affiliated bodies are women. In 2015, 14% of the people in decision-making positions in national sport federations were women. These statistics indicate that changes are necessary to advance in sports.