Politics, Social Issues and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

This book takes a close look at politics and social issues in the context of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, one of the most attended women’s sporting events in history. Featuring the work of leading researchers from around the world, the book is arranged into two thematic sections, with the first examining power structures and inequalities and the second exploring nationalism, identities, and experiencing the women’s game.The book presents a series of important and fascinating cases - including campaigns for equal pay for players; governance, ethics and women’s rights in Spanish football; the legacies of the Australian Matildas; and the impact of fan spaces – that together form a multi-layered picture of a signature event in the history of women’s sport.This book is vital reading for anybody with an interest in women’s sport, gender and sport, the sociology of sport, the politics of sport, event studies or sport business and management.

Danielle Sarver Coombs teaches advertising and branding at the University for the Creative Arts, UK. Her research interests center on politics, sports, and the politics of sport. She has authored and edited a number of books, including the Routledge Handbook of Sport Fans and Fandom (Routledge, 2022). She is the vice-chair of the International Communication Association’s Sport Communication Interest Group.Molly Yanity is professor and director of the sports media and communication program at the University of Rhode Island, USA. A former sportswriter, Yanity also serves as a board member for the International Association for Communication and Sport.