Women’s Sport Underrepresented in Irish Media, New Study Reveals

A comprehensive new study launched by Sport Ireland on March 4, 2026, reveals that women’s sport remains significantly underrepresented in Irish sports media coverage. The report, which analyzed coverage from 2025, highlights persistent imbalances in visibility and portrayal.

Key Findings of the Sport Ireland Study

• Overall Coverage: Only 18% of all Irish national sports news coverage focused on women’s sport. Sport Ireland
• Sport Concentration: 75% of all Irish national sports news coverage is concentrated on just five sports. Sport Ireland
• Radio Coverage: 22% of Irish national radio sports programme coverage focused on women’s sport. Sport Ireland, RTÉ
• Peak Coverage: Women’s sports news coverage reached its highest point in August 2025, coinciding with major events like the Rugby World Cup and the All-Ireland Camogie and All-Ireland Ladies Football Championships. RTÉ

Government and Sport Ireland Response

Minister for Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, emphasized the importance of the research, stating, “More must be done to bring all these remarkable stories to greater prominence. The Government…will continue to champion women’s sport.” Sport Ireland

Minister of State with special responsibility for Sport & Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue, highlighted the need for a “system-wide approach tackling deeply ingrained and outdated perceptions.” He similarly noted that studies show promoted women’s sports can attract significant audiences. Sport Ireland

Sport Ireland CEO Dr. Úna May stressed the media’s crucial role in creating balanced coverage and called for a renewed commitment to aspire to global leadership in gender-balanced reporting. RTÉ

Athlete Visibility

The study identified Kate O’Connor, Sarah Healy, and Leona Maguire as three of the 20 most visible athletes by volume of coverage in 2025. The Ireland rugby and football teams were among the top-20 most visible teams. RTÉ

Dominant Sports in Coverage

Football, rugby union, and Gaelic football continue to dominate sports coverage, accounting for over half (56.4%) of analyzed radio stories. RTÉ

Study Funding

Sport Ireland commissioned the study through a €400,000 contract awarded to Isentia Pty Limited, a media intelligence company. Gript, DailyFeed