Closing the Visibility Gap in Women’s Football: A Comprehensive Approach

**Increasing Visibility for Women’s Football: Pixel FC Initiative**

The Women’s football tournament held last summer garnered global attention, with an estimated 365 million viewers worldwide. In the UK alone, 17.4 million people tuned in to witness the Lionesses’ historic win against Germany. However, despite the record-breaking viewership and media coverage, research conducted by Google Pixel and the Women’s Sport Trust discovered that women’s football still lacks the visibility it deserves. Between April and May 2023, only 2% of print media football coverage and 6% of television football news mentions in the UK were dedicated to women’s football compared to the men’s game.

**Supporting Female-Led Coverage with Pixel FC**

As the Official Mobile Phone and Earbuds Partner of The Football Association, Google Pixel is determined to contribute to the progress of women’s football. In line with this commitment, Google Pixel has launched Pixel FC, an initiative aimed at increasing visibility for women’s football. Pixel FC is a collective of creators and presenters who share the mission of promoting women’s football. Google Pixel will provide these individuals with the necessary tools, platforms, and investment to produce the coverage that the game truly deserves.

Among the members of Pixel FC are Alex Bailess, Abbi Summers, Mollie & Rosie Kmita, and Samantha Miller. These talented presenters and creators are passionate about the game but often lack the resources needed to consistently cover women’s football.

**Working with the FA: 4 Key Initiatives**

In collaboration with The Football Association, Google Pixel is implementing several initiatives to support the presenters and creators behind Pixel FC:

1. **Pitchside Access and Player Interaction**: Pixel FC members will be provided with pitchside access and opportunities to engage with players. This will enable them to produce top-notch content for women’s football coverage.

2. **Coverage of Summer Tournament**: Google Pixel will cover travel and expenses for Pixel FC members to report on this summer’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand. This initiative aims to showcase the tournament in all its glory through their coverage.

3. **Fair and Equal Pay Commitment**: Google Pixel is committed to ensuring fair and equal pay for all Pixel FC members. This step is crucial in addressing gender disparities and promoting equality within the industry.

4. **Strategic Partnerships**: Google Pixel will continue to collaborate with media partners across the industry to enhance the growth of women’s football. This includes working with Footballco to increase the visibility of women’s football tournaments on GOAL, the world’s largest football website.

The ambition of Pixel FC extends beyond the summer tournament. Google Pixel has made a long-term commitment to the initiative, with plans to add more talented individuals to the roster in the future.

*All statistics are sourced from the WST Report ‘The Gender Parity of UK Football Coverage 2022-23 Season’.