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 take part in sport. In response, she has called for the long‑standing 3 pm Saturday television blackout that applies to women’s football to be scrapped. The 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 sport currently meets the needs of the English population.
While some initiatives are working, many gaps remain, especially for school‑age girls who are often the most vulnerable to disengagement from physical activity. Among the report’s many practical recommendations are measures designed to lift overall participation rates and boost activity levels across all ages. A key focus, however, is the removal of the 3 pm broadcast restriction on women’s football.
Evidence gathered during the Committee’s inquiry shows that when girls see women’s sport on TV they are more likely to feel inspired, develop confidence and consider trying sport themselves. At present, legislation that dates back half a century prohibits any live broadcast of football matches in the United Kingdom that kick off at 3 pm on a Saturday. This rule was originally intended to protect the attendance of lower‑league men’s games, but it now also limits exposure for the women’s game, which is rapidly growing in popularity. In addition to the broadcasting issue, the Committee urges the government to introduce legislation that would require local councils and housing associations to take down "No Ball Games" signs from public open spaces and residential estates.
By reclaiming these areas for play, communities would gain more safe, accessible venues where children – especially girls – can be active. Speaking to Sky Sports about the breadth of the report, Dame Caroline highlighted the urgency of tackling the cultural and structural barriers that keep girls away from sport. "We know that people in our nation love sport, but there are still far too many hurdles that prevent them from getting up and trying it themselves," she said.
"Whether it’s in schools, clubs or community settings, the obstacles are real." She went on to note a worrying trend: as children reach puberty, participation in school sport begins to drop dramatically, with girls being the most affected. Some even miss school entirely on days when sporting activities are scheduled. "That’s why we have put forward a range of recommendations, some of which are quite ambitious," Dame Caroline explained.
"One of the biggest is removing the 3 pm blackout for women’s football on Saturday television." The proposal would repurpose the blackout window – roughly 2:45 pm to 5:15 pm on Saturdays – for free‑to‑air broadcasts of women’s matches. This idea was first championed in the Karen Carney review and has since been endorsed by the Football Association, which recognises the potential benefits of giving the women’s game its own regular slot on mainstream television.
Beyond the broadcast change, the report calls for schools to adopt a more inclusive physical‑education curriculum that prioritises enjoyment, comfort and a welcoming atmosphere. Schools should be mandated to provide at least two hours of high‑quality PE each week, and every pupil should have the opportunity to be physically active for a minimum of one hour per day. Teacher training is another pillar of the recommendations. By improving the quality of PE instruction, schools can ensure that lessons are engaging and appropriately tailored to diverse needs.
Uniform and kit policies also need to be re‑examined; the Committee argues that clothing should be comfortable, inclusive and respectful of dignity, which would especially benefit girls and children with special educational needs (SEND). Dame Caroline also pressed the government to commit to stable, long‑term funding for both school‑based and community sport programmes.
Better facilities, combined with a cross‑government strategy focused on health and wellbeing, would generate social and economic returns that outweigh the initial outlay. Investing in sport, the Committee argues, can lead to substantial savings in health and welfare budgets by reducing obesity, mental‑health issues and related chronic conditions.
The report highlights that the United Kingdom currently spends only 0.3 % of total government expenditure on sport and recreation – well below the European average. To close the gap, the Committee recommends that this share be doubled to at least 0.6 % over the next decade. In monetary terms, that would raise the annual sport budget from roughly £3.8 billion to about £7.6 billion. If implemented, these measures could transform the sporting landscape for girls across England.
Greater visibility of women’s football on free‑to‑air TV would provide role models, while reclaimed public spaces and inclusive school policies would remove practical barriers to participation. Stable funding would ensure that the necessary infrastructure and programmes are in place for the long term. In summary, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s "Game On" report presents a clear roadmap: lift the 3 pm TV blackout for women’s football, eliminate "No Ball Games" signage on public land, overhaul PE curricula, improve teacher training, modernise kit policies, and double government spending on sport. By acting on these recommendations, the UK can foster a healthier, more active generation of girls and, ultimately, a stronger, more inclusive sporting culture for the whole nation.