This book investigates the transformative relationship between soccer and women in the 21st century, a time when football has increasingly embraced femininity and women have gained unprecedented visibility and empowerment in the digital soccer landscape. Highlighting the growing presence of women in fan culture and digital spaces, the book explores how these arenas have become pivotal in shaping women's roles and participation in soccer. By examining global, transnational, national, and local contexts, it delves into the interplay between soccer and women, focusing on the dynamic intersections of fandom and digitality.
Through documentary, discursive, analytical, and insider perspectives, the authors uncover the critical themes that define women's engagement with soccer in fan cultures and digital practices. These themes include gender, femininity, sexism, masculinity, misogyny, identity, platformization, digital and social media, e-commerce, and brand activism. The book sheds light on how these factors have influenced not only the women's game but also the broader societal roles of women as players, fans, and contributors to the sport's evolving narrative.
Spanning subject areas such as gender studies, women's history, sports sociology, digital culture, and media studies, this book is designed for scholars, students, researchers, and readers passionate about exploring the intersection of soccer, gender, and digital innovation in contemporary society.
The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Soccer & Society and are now accompanied by a newly updated Introduction.