The Men’s World Cup 2026, one of the most widely watched global sporting events in history, is being positioned as a major opportunity to advance gender equality in sport and society. In a media advisory, UN Women highlights how the tournament’s global reach could be leveraged to challenge long-standing inequalities in football and beyond.
The event is expected to unite billions of viewers across more than 100 matches hosted in multiple cities, making it one of the largest platforms for global engagement. Advocates argue that this level of visibility offers a rare chance to influence public attitudes toward women and girls in sport, where participation, leadership, and recognition still lag significantly behind the men’s game.
Despite football’s massive economic and cultural power, inequalities remain deeply embedded in the sport. Women’s football continues to receive a fraction of the investment, media coverage, and prize money compared to men’s competitions. The advisory also points to the persistent gender pay gap in elite sports and the underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles across football institutions.
The piece emphasizes that while interest in women’s sport is growing rapidly worldwide, structural barriers still limit its full potential. Women athletes and professionals continue to face unequal opportunities, limited visibility, and higher exposure to harassment and violence in sport-related environments.
It also raises broader social concerns, noting research that suggests spikes in violence against women can occur during major sporting events, alongside chronic underfunding of organizations working to address gender-based violence globally. These issues, it argues, highlight the need for stronger safeguarding systems and more inclusive leadership in sport governance.
At the same time, the advisory underscores the positive potential of sport as a driver of change. Programs that use football to build leadership skills among girls demonstrate how participation in sport can improve education outcomes, confidence, and long-term opportunities.
With the 2026 Men’s World Cup and the upcoming 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, the message calls for a more balanced global sporting landscape. It argues that football’s unprecedented global reach creates a unique moment to promote equality, increase investment in women’s sport, and ensure that the game reflects the diversity of its global audience.
