Contemporary Challenges for Women in Football. The Bulgarian Case

Abstract

This article aims to demonstrate the main problems that female football players in Bulgaria (we can say in most European countries) face in terms of employment, remuneration, media coverage and health support. With the help of a survey and in-depth interviews conducted with female football players, coaches and managers of women‘s and girl‘s teams, it was concluded that women in football (in Bulgaria, but elsewhere as well) often work without employment contracts, sponsorships are almost completely absent, no one interested in their media promotion, and motherhood and child-rearing is a private issue, with their clubs making no commitment to them after leaving the club, whether as a result of illness, injury, pregnancy, etc. Overcoming these issues is key to empowering women in sport and is a step towards gender equality.