We’re aiming to lead the way as the UK’s capital for women and girls in sport, launching a year-long campaign to celebrate female achievement and inspire everyone to get active.

Fast becoming a powerhouse for women’s sport, Brighton & Hove has a growing reputation both nationally and internationally.

The city has already hosted major tournaments, including the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 and last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup and is home to Brighton & Hove Albion’s Women’s Super League team. 

There are also hopes that Brighton & Hove will be named as a host city for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2035, while later this year, international women’s cricket returns to Hove when England take on New Zealand.

Sport Lifts Her Higher 

We’re determined to make the most of these opportunities, and this month will launch our Sport Lifts Her Higher campaign. 

The campaign aims for women and girls to get active and celebrate the work of schools, colleges, charities and grassroots organisations across the city.

Nationally, one in three girls drop out of sport during their teenage years. 

In Brighton & Hove, a 2023 survey found only 15% of secondary-school-age girls had done an hour of physical activity every day for the past week, compared with 27% of boys. In primary schools, 22% of girls met that target, compared with 34% of boys.

Girls miss out on equivalent of 52 football matches a year

Research shows girls across the UK are missing out on 1.4 hours of sport a week compared with boys – the equivalent of 52 football matches a year. 

One in three girls also said boys had access to a wider range of sports.

However, more than half of girls surveyed said watching professional athletes inspired them to play, and two-thirds agreed that seeing diverse athletes showed sport was for everyone.

Encouraging more women and girls to be active

We believe that continuing to welcome elite women’s sport to the city, alongside celebrating local efforts, will encourage more women and girls to take part.

The benefits of playing sport are widely reported to boost mental wellbeing and even improve job prospects. 

Girls who play after-school sport are 50% more likely to land top jobs later in life, with the confidence and resilience gained from sport giving a boost equivalent to a university degree.

Women who play sport are also almost a third more likely to handle pressure well and bounce back after hard times, and a fifth more likely to enjoy trying new things.

Sport also helps tackle social isolation, challenges stereotypes and addresses health inequalities.

Already great work being done across the city

Local organisations are already playing their part, including Brighton & Hove Albion and its foundation, Hove Rugby Club, Sussex Cricket Foundation, Active Sussex, parkrun and many grassroots teams.

We now want to build on that work, creating more opportunities for women and girls of all ages to get involved.

The transformative power of sport

Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “We want 2026 to be the year Brighton & Hove becomes the UK capital of girls and women in sport.

“There is so much amazing work being done in this area already, but we know that women and girls are still less likely to play sport or be active and that this gender gap can lead to significant inequalities throughout people’s lives.

“As a council we are investing in new sports facilities and will continue to do so because we know how important sport can be in people’s lives, and the transformative power it can have in our communities.

“With elite events like the Women’s Rugby World Cup and international football already putting our city on the map, now is the time to turn that energy into action. We want every woman and girl to feel that sport is for them – whether it’s joining a local team, trying something new or simply moving more every day.”