Caroline Dinenage End 3pm Women’s Football Blackout
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- Dame Caroline Dinenage – chair of the Culture, Media, Sport Select Committee – urged the government to lift the 3 pm Saturday TV blackout for women’s football, citing evidence that broadcast exposure inspires girls to be active.
- Culture, Media, Sport Select Committee – in its Game On report – highlighted that a 50‑year‑old law blocks live broadcast of any football match kicking off at 3 pm on a Saturday.
- FA – acknowledged that a dedicated broadcast slot for women’s games would benefit the women’s game, supporting the committee’s call to end the blackout.
- Councils and housing associations – are asked to remove “No Ball Games” signs on public open land and estates, reclaiming spaces for play.
- Schools – should be required to deliver at least two hours of high‑quality PE per week and ensure pupils have at least one hour of daily physical activity, with better teacher training and inclusive kit policies.
- UK sport funding – is recommended to rise from 0.3% to at least 0.6% of total government expenditure over the next decade, doubling the current £3.8 bn to £7.6 bn and addressing the country’s lag behind European peers.
Why it matters: Girls and young women gain visible role models and motivation to play sport, while broadcasters lose a protected slot; the proposed funding boost and removal of the blackout aim to close the UK’s participation gap with Europe and generate health‑care savings.
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