WOMEN’S SPORTING EVENTS DRIVE BIG WINS FOR COMMUNITIES

Sport in general brings people together and improves their sense of pride and belonging to their community

Hosting major women’s sporting events isn’t just about the thrill of the game – it’s also a powerful driver of social change, tourism and economic growth, according to new research from the University of South Australia.

In the wake of unprecedented exposure for women’s sport both in Australia and internationally, UniSA experts are highlighting how these events can leave a legacy well beyond the pitch.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup set the benchmark, attracting record crowds and audiences. The tournament delivered an induced economic impact of AU$1.32 billion, while Australia’s semifinal against

England drew a history-making 11.2 million viewers – the nation’s largest-ever television audience. Record viewership was also seen in Spain and the UK.

UniSA researchers Dr Jessica Mei Pung, Associate Professor Sunny Son and Associate Professor Craig Lee analysed how residents of Australian host cities perceived the event.

They discovered something unique: support for the Women’s World Cup wasn’t just about the usual benefits of sport, such as tourism dollars or community pride.

“Instead, support seemed to come more from specific outcomes such as promoting women’s sports, improving gender equality and boosting Australia’s image,” Dr Pung says.

"Overall, we found that women’s mega sports events can be powerful tools for advancing gender equity and community development, in addition to the commonly recognised tourism, social and economic benefits, which are strong reasons for governments to invest in them.”

The research also found that residents recognised socio-economic benefits, including employment opportunities, business growth, urban renewal and stronger community cohesion.

Yet despite surging popularity and growing media attention, women’s sporting events still struggle against lingering perceptions of being “less important” than men’s competitions.

“Despite the global movement towards gender issues and equality, women’s sport events and their impacts have received less attention from academia compared to men’s or co-gender sport events,” Dr Pung says.

“Women’s sporting events are also often defined as second-order to men’s competitions, despite growing popularity and achievements in women’s sporting arenas.

"Our research aims to fill the gap by examining the impacts that women’s mega sport events have on host communities and how these impacts influence the community’s support for future tourism development and events.”

For Dr Pung, the findings send a clear message: hosting women’s mega events should be part of broader government strategies to build equity and inclusion.

“Sport in general brings people together and improves their sense of pride and belonging to their community. Investing in major women’s sporting events also contributes to an aspirational view of Australia where stigmas are broken and women are empowered,” she says.

The study, The Women’s World Cup and Gender in Sport: Exploring Host Communities’ Perceived Impacts and Future Tourism Development Support, was published in Event Management in July 2025.