As a broadcaster and long-time supporter of women’s football, I’ve seen the game grow in incredible ways. Stadiums are fuller, coverage is better, and the profile of our athletes is higher than ever. But there’s still a frustrating blind spot, one that our listeners, players, and even fellow pundits can’t stop talking about: why is it still so hard to get hold of women’s football merchandise?
We recently welcomed Dr. Keith Parry to The Offside Rule podcast. He’s the Head of Sport and Event Management at Bournemouth University, and he’s just published some eye-opening research alongside Katie Svensson, Beth Clarkson, and Jess Richards. The focus? The availability (or lack thereof) of women’s football merch across leagues in the UK, Australia, and the U.S.
“We started with a simple question,” Keith told us. “What does the merch landscape look like for women’s teams? Are shirts available? Are they in inclusive sizing? Can fans actually find them?”
The answers, sadly, were mostly “no.”
Dr. Parry’s team did a thorough sweep of club websites and followed it up with a survey of fans. The story that emerged was pretty consistent. Kits for women’s teams were hard to find, not advertised properly, and rarely available in women’s fits or plus sizes.
As Keith put it, “Sometimes it’s hard to even find where the women’s kit is. You’ve got to navigate several clicks deep into a site, and by then, a lot of people just give up.”
It’s not just fans who feel this disconnect. My co-host, former England striker Natasha Dowie, shared her own experiences from her playing days. “When I trained at the AXA Training Centre, I got given men’s kit,” she said. “Even for the recent charity match at Anfield, I had to ring up last minute just to make sure I got a women’s fit.”
There’s real emotion behind these stories. One quote from Keith’s survey stuck with me: “We want to give you our money.” That one sentence says it all. The demand is there. Fans are ready to support, wear the badge, and spread the word. The problem? Clubs aren’t making it easy.
It’s not just about clothes—it’s about identity. Wearing your team’s kit is one of the most visible and powerful ways to show your support. It says, “I’m part of this.” And when those kits aren’t accessible, especially for women and girls, it sends the wrong message.
It’s not all bad news. Arsenal came up as a leader in this space. From what I’ve seen and what fans have shared, they’ve been one of the better clubs in terms of promoting and selling women’s team merchandise. But this needs to be the norm, not the exception.
Natasha mentioned a friend who couldn’t find a Lionesses shirt for his daughter, so he started his own company—Football For Her. And there’s Helen Hardy, whose company Fowdys is making bespoke kits for female fans. These are brilliant initiatives, but they’re filling a gap that clubs themselves should be addressing.
“It’s not just about revenue,” Keith reminded us. “It’s about visibility. It’s about saying women’s football matters.” And that’s something I couldn’t agree with more. If a shirt isn’t available, what message does that send to young girls dreaming of going pro—or to fans who want to proudly represent their team?
Keith’s team is now working on a new study with Dr. Payam Ansari, diving into the full fan experience—from buying tickets to the matchday journey. They’re even offering to pay for fans to attend matches, just to hear their stories. “We want to know what it’s really like,” he said.
Here’s what I know: the game is growing. The appetite is huge. And this should be a golden opportunity for clubs to step up and meet their fans halfway. Offer the kits. Make them visible. Celebrate the players. And let people wear their pride on their sleeves—literally.
Because honestly, if someone is standing there saying, “We want to give you our money,” what are we waiting for?
The full episode is available now.
