The pioneers – early years of the Scandinavian emigration of women footballers

Abstract

This study examines the early years, or the ‘Pioneer Period’ of the Scandinavia emigration of women footballers. Based on secondary sources of historical information on women’s football and on primary and empirical data provided by a sample of players that migrated at that time, we examined how this emigration flux emerged and developed and how the players assess their migration experience. The findings show that the emigration of Scandinavian players can be traced back to the 1960s, and since then, it has kept increasing. It is further revealed that the emigration in those early years resulted, mainly, from a combination of macro and micro, pull and push factors as for example, the lack of professional opportunity at home and attractive invitation from Italy, Japan, USA and Germany, as well as, the individual motivation of the players as to improve football skills, to know another culture and, for some, to get economic benefits. Highly positive impacts on their personal and professional life, is how the players account their migration experience.