UK pubs sign charter to help women feel safe during World Cup

More than UK 45 pubs have signed up to This Fan Girl’s World Cup charter, which aims to help women and non-binary people watching football this winter “feel as safe as possible”.

Some of these include Valderrama’s in London’s Islington, the Bodega Nottingham and the Rainbow in Birmingham.

The initiative began as a result of more games at the FIFA World Cup 2022 being scheduled in the evenings, which will mean that female fans will have to take extra precautions in the dark.

This Fan Girl is an online platform and community founded by female fans in 2016 to improve inclusivity in football.

It launched the charter after figures from End Violence Against Women revealed that one in two women felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a quiet street near their home, compared to one in seven men. Two out of three women aged between 16 and 34 have experienced one form of harassment in the previous 12 months.

The charter was put together by two focus groups and ten women from different backgrounds.

It sets out a list of recommendations for pubs before, during and after games, which include staff taking reports of intimidation or microaggressions seriously; considering serving beer buckets to limit the number of trips to the bar; ensuring that the smoking areas are well lit; and reducing orders if the atmosphere is too rowdy.

This Fan Girl stated in the charter: “We hope that by raising awareness of this issue, acknowledging our charter and making the changes or adaptations that are possible, we’ll be able to help make this World Cup the best possible experience for all fans and deliver a message that certain behaviours are not tolerated, and that football is well and truly a game for all.”

The organisation has asked pubs to sign the charter “in honesty” and to be “considerate of the commitment you’re making and be cautious to not overcommit”.

People working in the hospitality or nightlife industries may have access to the full charter for free.

Pubs wanting to sign the Charter should email This Fan Girl.