Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

The growth of women’s soccer is remarkable in view of the long history of bans and separate treatments. As the political and social patterns shift girls start to rise up. Soccer can be a driver for empowerment. Campaigns, events, role models and the sporting environment itself can inspire women to make a difference in their communities. According to the current discussion on gender issues in sports, women’s soccer is a relevant object of research. In particular the field of Sports Geography provides methods for the research on women’s soccer and its spatial relevance. Findings, based on literature review and qualitative data, reveal that there is an ongoing diffusion und increasing importance of women’s soccer. That leads to regional impacts and development. For instance changes are visible in the cultural landscape, the sporting infrastructure, the talent recruiting and educational system as well as in terms of gender roles and identities. This paper debates those findings for Germany and Jordan. In Germany women’s soccer had to deal with a national ban until 1970. After a dynamic development, Germany is now number two of the FIFA ranking. In Jordan the FIFA`s ban on headscarfs prevented Muslim women from playing soccer. Since the ban was lifted in 2012, Jordan is the leading country in women’s soccer in the Middle East. The Kingdom hosted the FIFA U-17 Women´s World Cup in 2016, the first FIFA women’s event in the Arab World.