Pursuing a Career in Women’s Sport

The 2025 Women’s European Championship is breaking attendance, viewership and prize money records, and this is a sign of things to come in women’s sport.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the WSL is set to expand from 12 to 14 teams in the 2026-27 season as the organisation aims for the top two leagues to be fully-professional. Other sports have similar aspirations, with the WNBA adding the Golden State Valkyries to the league last year – its first new franchise since 2008 – with new teams from Toronto and Portland set to join the competition ahead of the 2026 season.

These developments signal a significant change in the infrastructure of women’s sport, which will increasingly require improved facilities and additional staffing, as well as more investment.

This staffing increase can range from more coaches and agents in sport, to operations and administrative staff – all of which benefits sports professionals who strive for a career in the industry.

Many of these aspiring sports professionals are current athletes who often study while still playing or just after retirement to get the qualifications needed to progress into these new roles.

GIS is a leading option for these athletes, combining expertly-taught modules with real-world relevance and boasting a host of decorated sportswomen enrolled on our various courses.

These include six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala, and Olympic Gold Medallist Shona McCallin. 

Winning gold at Rio 2016 in field hockey, Shona is studying on our MSc International Sport Management course, and told us about the importance of preparing for life off the field.

“My parents, coaches and mentors have all instilled how important it is to have an education and develop skills away from your sport,” she told GIS.

Shona has also been granted one of our Elite Athlete Scholarships during her time at GIS, which is designed for former sports professionals to gain an education that helps them remain within the sports industry.

Millie Chandarana is another of our scholarship students, studying MSc Football Business while playing for Nottingham Forest. The first ever recipient of GIS’ South Asians in Football Leadership Scholarship, Millie studied with us part-time, feeling it allowed her balance both her football and education efficiently.

“GIS offers a fantastic network,” she said. “That’s a great asset.”

“Being able to speak to people in a number of different roles at a number of different clubs is massive.

“It’s something I’ve not been able to do before. To come to GIS and have access to those kinds of people is so valuable.”

But you don’t just have to be an athlete to get your foot in the door. Like Shona, Sarah Levy studied MSc International Sport Management with us, and now works at the Premier League as a Player Care Manager.

Predominantly working with players progressing through academies to first team level, the role as Player Care Manager is one of many that will become more and more in demand as more women’s teams transition to being professional.

Education has been a vital part of Sarah’s career so far, calling GIS a “really good place for me to be able to bring new ideas and new perspectives to a lot of the work that I was doing.”

The growth of women’s sport is creating more career paths than ever before. As this continues, education is essential for those aspiring to work in the industry.

To learn more, you can read about GIS alumni making strides in the sports industry, and explore our course offerings to find the right subject area for you.

GIS and Women In Soccer also recently expanded our partnership to cover master’s degree scholarships in football business, and you can click here to find out more.

Article by Zakaria Anani