New research shows the size of the gap in sports participation between girls and boys

Girls in the UK are missing out on sports opportunities, and this is especially true for teenagers in cities. They exercise about 100 minutes less each week than boys. This difference in activity is smaller in the countryside, where girls miss out on about 75 minutes less exercise than boys.

New research from a company called Public First shows that there are significant differences in sports participation across the UK. Girls who live in cities are the least likely to be physically active. The research also found that the difference in sports participation is greater for girls from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Public First studied sports participation for girls and boys in all 650 UK parliamentary areas. Their findings clearly show a difference between cities and rural areas. Nationally, girls aged 11 to 18 play an average of 84 minutes less sport each week than boys. However, this gap can be very small in some places, like Cumbria, but very large in others, such as Birmingham Perry Barr, where girls play over two and a half hours less sport per week.

Areas in the West Midlands and the north-east of England have the largest average differences in sports participation. In contrast, areas in the south-east, north-west, and Scotland have the smallest gaps. Public First believes these differences are due to several reasons, including safety concerns, social difficulties, a greater need for organised sports activities, and less access to sports facilities.

In areas where sports opportunities are limited, the participation gap between girls and boys is 46% larger than in places with more sports options. This suggests that girls more often rely on clubs, teams, and organised events to stay active. Public First estimates that if teenage girls had more access to sports, it could bring significant economic benefits, possibly over £640 million each year. This includes gains in productivity and savings for the NHS.

This research was asked for by Sky, a broadcaster. Last year, Sky started a campaign to make equal access to sport a legal requirement in places like schools and sports clubs that receive government funding. Sky’s chief sports officer, Jonathan Licht, stated that every girl should have the chance to experience the benefits of sport, like gaining confidence and friendships. He added that many girls are still missing out, and the barriers they face differ depending on where they live. He believes that to close this gap, we need to address unfairness in access and funding, especially in publicly funded places where opportunities should be the same for everyone. He emphasised the need to act on this evidence to create lasting change for girls across the country.