# Women's coaching crisis deepens > Female coaches face double the barriers to respect and credibility in UK football. - Title: Women's coaching crisis deepens · BBC Sport | Shortify - Summary: Female coaches face double the barriers to respect and credibility in UK football. Women's coaching numbers in UK grassroots football dropped 10% due to… - Keywords: uk coaching, women football, grassroots football, coaching barriers, cost barriers, childcare, stereotypes, uk coaching decline, women coaches, football coaching, uk coaching numbers, coaching pathways - Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwz0z2en8xxno - Published: 2026-10-01T06:43:23.032+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: uk coaching, women football, grassroots football, coaching barriers, cost barriers, childcare, stereotypes, uk coaching decline, women coaches, football coaching, uk coaching numbers, coaching pathways ## Female coaches face double the barriers A senior figure at uk coaching says women must work twice as hard as men to be respected and credible despite recent on pitch successes. > women must work twice as hard to be respected, to be credible ## 6% decline in female coaches uk coaching study shows a 6 percent decline in overall female coaches in recent years. > a 6 percent decline in the overall number of female coaches ## 10% drop at grassroots grassroots female volunteer coaches fell 10 percent significantly affecting amateur sport pathways. > a 10 percent dip in the number of female volunteer coaches ## Systemic barriers for women women coaches face bullying, harassment and unequal opportunities according to new data. > additional research highlighted systemic barriers experienced by women coaches ## Half of girls share secrets half of girls who play organised football say they would tell a female coach something they could not tell a parent. > half of all girls who play organised football say they would tell a female coach something they could not tell a parent or guardian ## Only 7% women coaches only 7 percent of grassroots football coaches in england are women. > only 7 percent of the people coaching grassroots football in england are women ## Gender differences in football 49 percent of girls who play football are mostly or always coached by someone of their own gender versus 85 percent of boys. > 49 percent of the girls who play are mostly or always coached by someone of their own gender ## Elite coaching progress eight out of fourteen english top tier managers are women including all three newly promoted sides. > eight out of 14 managers in the english top tier are women ## Fifa quota helps a new fifa quota requires women's teams to have a female head coach or assistant. > a new fifa quota stating women's teams must have a female head coach or assistant ## Cost barriers for women the uefa pro licence costs £14,000 with only 24 places per intake creating financial barriers. > the uefa pro licence costs £14,000 ## B licence costs £650 the uefa b licence costs £650 but can be subsidised only if associated with an fa registered club. > for a c licence, the lowest certification level, the cost is £650 ## Fara Williams' experience ex-england international fara williams says coaching costs outweigh financial benefits for women. > the cost to do b and a licences, and the salaries or opportunities you will get from that investment, it does not quite marry up ## Zoe Conning's struggle zoe conning a uefa b licence holder says she could not afford the a licence costing £4,150. > when it came to the a licence - which costs £4,150, i had to say no ## Family impacts coaching former england international anita asante says family responsibilities limit women's coaching careers. > we have a young child at home, and for players so much of our playing career has been missing out on events and family ## Key takeaway Women's coaching numbers in UK grassroots football dropped 10% due to cost, childcare and stereotypes despite elite successes.