The rise of women’s football: a case study of Iceland

Abstract

ABSTRACT The women’s national football team of Iceland, from a population of 350,000, has written its name in the history books by qualifying for four consecutive European Championship finals (from 2009), reaching the quarter finals in 2013. However, the women’s team has stood in the shadow of the men’s national football team of Iceland, which has attracted international attention. Thus, in the male-dominated world of football, the success of the women’s team has largely gone unnoticed. This paper seeks to analyze a particular case of the rise of women’s football, as it sheds light on the development and success of Icelandic women’s football and frames this development in a socio-cultural context. More precisely, Icelandic women's football is emerging from within: a relatively gender equal Nordic culture; increased sport professionalism; and general strong national sentiments among Icelanders, which, when combined, have made women players the new and emerging stars of Iceland's football.