Abstract

This article explores the complex effects of globalization on women’s roles in sport governance, focusing on ongoing challenges and new opportunities in this rapidly changing environment. Despite progress in increasing female representation across various sectors of sports—such as coaching, officiating, and leadership—significant disparities remain, particularly in governance roles. By employing a rigorous literature review methodology, this study synthesizes recent research and data to explore how globalization interacts with gender equality within sport governance. The analysis not only highlights global initiatives like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Gender Equality and Inclusion Objectives 2021–2024 but also examines other critical cases, such as Fédération Internationale de Football Association’s struggle for gender diversity, UN Women “Sport for Generation Equality” initiative, and regional efforts in Australia and Africa. The findings reveal a complex picture: while globalization has created unprecedented opportunities for women, entrenched systemic barriers, including cultural norms, media bias, and corruption, continue to impede their advancement in governance roles. This article makes a significant contribution to the academic discourse on gender inequality by offering nuanced insights and proposing strategic interventions for policymakers and practitioners. Furthermore, it calls for future research to develop context-specific strategies that address the diverse challenges faced by women in different regions, ensuring that globalization serves as a catalyst for true gender equality in sport governance, rather than perpetuating existing disparities.