The first-ever Women’s Sports Foundation Report aims to serve as an annual benchmark for the state of girls’ and women’s sports participation and perception. The data from the inaugural 2026 report reveals a demand for access to girls’ sports, a breakthrough in professional women’s sports and a turbulent college environment.
According to WSF, the report surveyed 6,000 Americans, including 3,065 children ages eight to 18, as well as 60 leaders in the women’s professional sports industry.
A few key statistics stand out from the report, including data on access, cost, belonging and visibility.
The report states that “54% of girls ages 8-18 who’ve never played organized sports say they want to.” A lack of accessibility is noted, as the report found that only 45% of all girls played sports and many reported unequal opportunities and invitations.
“It costs 25% more to be a girl in sport than a boy,” the report states, adding “More than 1 in 3 parents of girls who play spends $1,000 or more on sports-related expenses. For lower-income families, cost is the wall.”
Visibility is also a key factor in involving young girls in sport, with 45% unable to name a single professional female athlete they look up to, regardless of gender. Meanwhile, only 2% of young boys named a female athlete as their favorite athlete. Women’s professional sports is booming, but there is a disruption in the pipeline between youth athletes and the professionals they should be looking up to.
While results showed room for improvement in the youth space, survey respondents in professional sports were optimistic.
“An overwhelming 93% of experts say progress toward gender equality in professional women’s sports improved over the past year,” the report stated.
“[This] gives us a way to measure where we stand, hold ourselves accountable to where we need to go and, year after year, track whether progress is reaching girls and women at every level of sports,” said WSF CEO Danette Leighton. “We hope this report inspires action. Whether you are a parent, coach, educator, funder, policymaker, sports leader or partner in this movement, each of us has a role to play in breaking down the barriers that keep girls on the sidelines and building a stronger sports ecosystem for generations to come.”
