Women’s elite tennis could learn a lesson from the recent World Cup when it comes to the fight against sexism If you wanted to put the popularity of women’s football into figures then the most impressive one is 11.7 million. That’s the number of people in the UK who watched England’s World Cup semi-final against the USA on TV. In these days of multi-channels and platforms that is properly large, suggesting that, at least at the international level, women’s football has captured not just the public’s attention but also its imagination. Of course, that is not to say that it is going to rival men’s football anytime soon, but it does say a few other things. From being viewed as a joke or a kind of pathetic imitation of the men’s game, women’s football has gradually gained respect among women and men. Having ranked as an obscure curiosity, it has established mainstream appeal. And from being subject to the casual and sometimes premeditated sexism that has dominated the sport, women’s football has forged a basis