Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP and chair of the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Select Committee, has warned that young girls in England face far too many hurdles when trying to take part in sport. In response, she is urging lawmakers to scrap the long‑standing 3 pm Saturday television blackout that prevents live broadcasts of women’s football matches. The CMS Committee, which scrutinises government policy, spending and administration, recently published a comprehensive "Game On" report.
The document paints a mixed picture of how well community and school‑based sport is meeting the needs of the English population. While some initiatives are working, many gaps remain, especially for school‑aged girls who often encounter cultural, logistical and infrastructural barriers that discourage continued participation. Among the report’s many recommendations are practical steps aimed at boosting overall participation rates and raising activity levels across all age groups. A particular focus is placed on the obstacles that prevent girls from staying involved in sport once they reach puberty.
The Committee argues that the 3 pm Saturday blackout on women’s football is a key factor that limits visibility and role‑model exposure for young female fans. Evidence gathered during the inquiry shows that when women’s matches are shown on free‑to‑air TV, girls are more likely to feel inspired, develop a sense of belonging, and consider taking up the sport themselves. Under current legislation, which dates back half a century, no football match that kicks off at 3 pm on a Saturday may be shown live in the United Kingdom.
This rule was originally designed to protect the commercial interests of the men’s game, but it now inadvertently curtails the growth of the women’s game and the broader goal of gender‑balanced participation in sport. The Committee therefore recommends that Parliament repeal the blackout, allowing women's fixtures to be broadcast in that slot.
Doing so would create a regular, free‑to‑air window for women’s football, mirroring the approach taken by the Karen Carney review and endorsed by the Football Association, which has long argued that a dedicated broadcast slot would raise the profile of the women’s league and attract new fans. In addition to the broadcast issue, the report calls on the government to require local councils and housing associations to remove "No Ball Games" signs from public open spaces and residential estates. Such signs effectively ban informal play and limit opportunities for children—particularly girls—to engage in spontaneous ball games in their neighbourhoods.
By reclaiming these spaces for sport, communities can provide safe, accessible environments where children can be active without needing formal club membership. Speaking to Sky Sports about the findings, Dame Caroline highlighted the broader cultural shift needed to sustain participation: "We know that people in our nation love sport, but there are simply too many barriers that stop them from getting up and giving it a try.
Whether it’s in school, clubs or the community, the obstacles are real. More and more young people, especially girls, drop out of school sport as they hit puberty, and some even miss school entirely on days when sport events are scheduled." She continued, "Among our recommendations are some that are quite technical, such as removing the 3 pm blackout for women’s football on Saturday television. We believe the blackout, which runs from about 2.45 pm to 5.15 pm, should be replaced with a regular slot for women’s games on free‑to‑air TV. This would give girls a visible pathway and show them that sport is for everyone." Other key proposals target the school curriculum.
The Committee suggests that schools be mandated and supported to deliver a more inclusive Physical Education (PE) programme that prioritises enjoyment, comfort and a welcoming atmosphere. Every pupil should have the chance to be physically active for at least one hour a day, with a minimum of two hours of high‑quality PE each week. To achieve this, teachers need better training in delivering inclusive PE, and school uniform and kit policies should be revised to focus on comfort, inclusivity and dignity. Such changes would particularly benefit girls and children with special educational needs (SEND), who often feel excluded by restrictive dress codes or unsuitable equipment.
Stable, long‑term funding for school and community sport is also a cornerstone of the Committee’s vision. Dame Caroline urges the government to commit to reliable investment in facilities, coaching and cross‑government strategies that promote a healthier nation. The report argues that investing in sport yields social and economic dividends, including reduced pressure on health and welfare budgets. A striking finding of the "Game On" report is that the UK lags behind the average spending of other European nations on sport and recreation.
Currently, sport receives just 0.3 % of total government expenditure. The Committee recommends that this share be doubled to at least 0.6 % over the next decade, effectively increasing the annual budget from £3.8 billion to £7.6 billion. Such an increase would fund better facilities, more community programmes and the infrastructure needed to support both elite and grassroots sport. In summary, the CMS Select Committee’s recommendations aim to dismantle the structural and cultural barriers that deter girls from participating in sport.
By ending the 3 pm TV blackout for women’s football, reclaiming public spaces for play, reforming school PE, and securing greater public investment, the UK can create a more inclusive sporting landscape. These steps are expected not only to boost participation rates among girls but also to generate broader health, social and economic benefits for the entire nation.