A new 2026 report from the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) highlights significant barriers preventing girls from fully engaging in sports despite a strong desire to play. Surveying over 3,000 children ages 8 to 18, their guardians, and 60 leaders in women's sports, the report shows that 54% of girls who have never participated in organized sports want to play—matching the rate for boys. However, only 45% of girls are currently involved in organized sports compared to 52% of boys. Key obstacles include financial costs, insufficient local opportunities, and a declining sense of belonging as girls enter their teen years.

The report further reveals that household income impacts sport participation more dramatically than gender. Girls in households earning under $50,000 have a 31% participation rate, while that figure jumps to 58% for girls in households with earnings over $100,000. The median annual spending on girls’ sports is around $500, higher than the $400 for boys, compounding these challenges. Additionally, the sense of inclusion drops sharply for girls as they age; only 66% of girls ages 14 to 18 feel sports are “for someone like me,” down from 80% among younger girls, affecting their motivation and retention.

Another major finding concerns the lack of visibility and role models for girls in sports. Despite American audiences watching 28.6 billion minutes of women's sports in early 2026, 45% of girls cannot name a favorite professional athlete of any gender, and only 5% name a woman, Caitlin Clark, as a favorite. Role models play a crucial role in fostering belonging and dreams of a sports career, yet many girls, especially in lower-income households, lack access to regular exposure to women athletes. Financial instability in women’s athletics also threatens sustainability, with 67% of industry experts citing inadequate year-round funding as a top barrier.

The WSF report also uncovers a critical gap in awareness of Title IX, the landmark law prohibiting sex discrimination in education and sports. Seventy-nine percent of girls and 55% of parents surveyed have never heard of it, with awareness even lower among Black girls (17%) and lowest-income households (13%). Experts see weakening enforcement of Title IX as the largest threat to progress. WSF CEO Danette Leighton stresses the need for transparency and accountability, emphasizing that investment in women’s sports must start early—giving every girl the opportunity to play and stay in sports to gain benefits like leadership, education, and lifelong skills.