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New Delhi: A new independent study commissioned by the BBC and Collective Newsroom, titled “Attitudes Towards Women’s Sports, Sportswomen and Women in India,” reveals significant changes in women’s engagement with sports in India. The research is an integral part of the BBC’s Indian Sportswoman of the Year (ISWOTY) initiative, which celebrates the achievements of women athletes. 

The report analyses the findings of a large-scale quantitative survey covering over 10,304 respondents across 14 states, conducted between 26 December 2025 and 30 January 2026, and sheds light on widespread societal attitudes and prevailing perceptions surrounding women’s participation in sports and the subsequent consumption of women’s sports. 

Following a similar study published by the BBC in 2020 — the research traces the evolution of participation and consumption statistics, and public outlooks regarding gender equality six years forward, especially in the wake of growing international acclaim for Indian women athletes over the past couple years.

Growing audiences for women’s sports, with a few caveats

The research suggests a decisive positive shift in both participation and viewership. 

More than half (51%) of the respondents report watching women’s sports in the last six months, pointing towards a narrowing viewership gap between male and female sports. 

Consumption among young people is particularly high, with 54% of young women interviewed watching some form of women’s sports coverage, jumping from 40% in 2020. Additionally, six in ten young men report consuming any coverage of women’s sport, while four in ten have attended a live women’s match. 

Photo: “Attitudes towards women’s sports, sportswomen and women in India”, the BBC and Collective Newsroom, 2026.

Women’s cricket viewership is also higher than it was in 2020. As per the study, “Almost three in ten (28%) people across the states surveyed now say they watch the Women’s Premier League (WPL). This compares with 15% who said they watched the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2020, before the league was formed in 2023.”

Photo: “Attitudes towards women’s sports, sportswomen and women in India”, the BBC and Collective Newsroom, 2026.

Regardless, the audience for female-led sports remains considerably sparser as compared to their male counterparts. BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla said that apart from the opening and closing ceremonies of this year’s recently-held WPL, few knew where the matches were even being held. 

He added, “One 10-15% of the stadium seats were occupied as opposed to the Indian Premier League,........

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