THE PERCENTAGE of female coaches in the UK has fallen sharply by 6 per cent since 2022, according to a new report.

A nationwide survey conducted by YouGov and published by professional association UK Coaching revealed women represent just 38 per cent of active coaches, down from 44 per cent two years ago.

Women are more likely to coach what the study calls “creative” sports like dance and yoga, while male coaches are more likely to lead team sports, racquet games and combat sports.

Lisa West, head of policy, partnerships and public affairs at Women in Sport said: “At least 50 per cent of coaches across sport should be female, but we know this is not yet the case and as this report highlights, the number of women in coaching roles is declining.

“At Women in Sport, we are determined to tackle the stubborn gender inequalities and institutional biases that hold women and girls back in sport — both as participants and in the workforce.

“With support from Sport England, we are driving a growing movement and bringing about systemic change to create a more diverse coaching workforce that reflects lived experiences, supports those who are least active — often women and girls — and ensure the future generation of female coaches.”

Despite the overall discrepancy, the report — based on input from over 30,000 adults — also revealed that female coaches are far more likely than men to be paid for their efforts.

Thirty-four percent of female coaches said they were paid only — rather than mixing paid and volunteer work — while just 13 per cent of male coaches said the same.

Women cite the cost of training and qualifications as their biggest obstacle — with 37 per cent feeling it was the top issue — while men (34 per cent) say balancing work and home life is the most difficult barrier.

More coaches are now being paid for their work overall.