The Sociohistorical Challenges to the Development of Women’s Football in Poland

Abstract

Women’s football is gaining popularity, with more and more girls and women participating in the sport every year around the world, particularly in Europe. While the increase in participation is most noticeable in Western Europe, it is more gradual in Eastern Europe, as in Poland. A number of research studies that link women’s participation in sports to gender issues are calling into question the reasons and conditions for this growth. As a result, the issues at stake extend beyond sports practice. They lead to a parallel examination of the socio-political context (which integrates political, institutional, social, and cultural dimensions) and the evolution of women’s conditions in general and in sports, especially football. Women’s football in Poland developed slowly as a result of the general situation of women in the country as well as the influence of the country’s political situation, Catholic indoctrination, and the dominant traditionalism.