Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP and chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, has warned that young girls in England face far too many obstacles when trying to get involved in sport. In response, she is urging lawmakers to scrap the long‑standing 3 p.m.
television blackout that currently prevents live broadcasts of women’s football on Saturday afternoons. The Committee, which scrutinises government policy, spending and administration, recently published a comprehensive "Game On" report.
The paper paints a mixed picture of how well community and school sport is meeting the needs of the English population. While some initiatives are working, many gaps remain, especially for school‑aged girls who are disproportionately dropping out of organized sport as they approach puberty. Among the report’s many practical recommendations are measures to boost participation across all age groups and to raise overall activity levels. A key focus, however, is the removal of the 3 p.m.
broadcast restriction on women’s football. Evidence gathered during the Committee’s inquiry shows that when girls can watch women’s matches on television, they are more likely to feel inspired, develop confidence in their own abilities, and consider taking part in sport themselves.
Under current UK law, which dates back half a century, any football match that kicks off at 3 p.m. on a Saturday cannot be shown live on free‑to‑air channels. The restriction was originally designed to protect the revenues of the men’s professional game, but it now appears to be an outdated barrier that hampers the growth of the women’s game and, by extension, the participation of girls in sport. In addition to the broadcasting issue, the Committee is calling on the government to pass legislation that would require local councils and housing associations to take down "No Ball Games" signs that often appear in public parks and residential estates.
Removing these signs would reclaim open spaces for informal play, giving children – especially girls – more opportunities to be active in their neighbourhoods. Speaking to Sky Sports about the breadth of the report, Dame Caroline highlighted the cultural and structural challenges that keep many people away from sport. "We love sport in this country, but there are simply too many hurdles that stop people from getting up and giving it a try," she said. "Whether it’s in schools, clubs or community settings, the barriers are real and they affect girls in particular as they move through puberty." She noted that a growing number of young women are either withdrawing from school‑based sport programmes or missing school entirely on days when sport activities are scheduled.
"That is a worrying trend," she added, "and it signals that our current approach is not working for a large segment of the population." One of the headline proposals is to lift the 3 p.m. blackout for women’s football and replace it with a regular slot on free‑to‑air television.
The blackout currently runs from about 2:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
on Saturdays. By allocating this window to women’s matches, broadcasters could provide a consistent, high‑visibility platform for the women’s game, mirroring the recommendations of the Karen Carney review and the Football Association’s own acknowledgement that a dedicated broadcast slot would be beneficial. Beyond television, the report urges schools to adopt a more inclusive physical education (PE) curriculum that prioritises enjoyment, comfort and a welcoming atmosphere for all pupils. Schools should be required to deliver at least two hours of high‑quality PE each week, with every student having the chance to be physically active for a minimum of one hour per day.
This would help embed regular movement into the daily routine of children, making sport a normal part of life rather than an optional extra. Teacher training is another focal point. The Committee recommends that PE teachers receive enhanced professional development to improve their ability to engage diverse groups of students, including girls and children with special educational needs (SEND).
Uniform and kit policies should also be revisited to ensure they are comfortable, inclusive and respectful of individual dignity – changes that are likely to encourage greater participation among those who might otherwise feel self‑conscious. Funding stability is critical to making these reforms a reality.
Dame Caroline called on the government to commit to reliable financing for school and community sport, to upgrade facilities, and to develop a cross‑government strategy aimed at fostering a healthier nation. The Committee argues that investing in sport yields social and economic returns, ultimately reducing pressure on health and welfare budgets. The report also points out that the UK lags behind the average European spending on sport and recreation. Currently, sport accounts for just 0.3 percent of total government expenditure.
The Committee recommends that this share be doubled to at least 0.6 percent over the next decade, effectively increasing the annual budget from roughly £3.8 billion to £7.6 billion. Such an investment would provide the resources needed to modernise facilities, support grassroots programmes, and sustain the growth of women’s football. In summary, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s "Game On" report presents a clear roadmap for removing entrenched barriers that keep girls away from sport.
By ending the 3 p.m. blackout, reclaiming public spaces for play, enhancing school PE, improving teacher training, and securing robust funding, the UK can create a more inclusive sporting landscape. These steps promise not only to boost participation rates among girls but also to deliver broader health, social and economic benefits for the entire nation.