Spain Advances Gender Equality in Sports Leadership at National Congress
The I National Congress of the Leaders Network in Zaragoza highlighted Spain’s significant strides in enhancing female leadership and gender equality in sports governance.
- • Over one million women hold sports licenses in Spain, reaching historic highs.
- • Women hold 40% of board positions in Spanish sports federations, up from 19% in 2014.
- • Navarra increased female sports federation representation from 22.5% to over 33% since 2020.
- • Since 2018, the Spanish government allocated 12.6 million euros to promote women's roles in sports leadership.
Key details
The I National Congress of the Leaders Network, held on October 24-25, 2025, in Zaragoza, marked a significant milestone in promoting gender equality and female leadership within the Spanish sports sector. This event gathered prominent women leaders, institutional representatives, and industry agents to discuss leadership models centered on equality, inclusion, and innovation.
Pilar Alegría, Spain's Minister of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports, inaugurated the congress, highlighting transformative progress since 2018 fueled by unprecedented economic investment and public policies. Alegría stated that female sports licenses have reached historic highs, surpassing one million federated women. Furthermore, women now occupy 40% of Spanish sports federations' board positions, a substantial rise from 19% in 2014. She attributed these advancements to proactive government measures mandating gender balance in sports leadership and announced that 12.6 million euros have been allocated since 2018 to programs supporting women's roles in sports governance.
Rebeca Esnaola, Counselor of Culture, Sports, and Tourism for Navarra, presented her region's achievements, noting that female representation in Navarro sports federations has increased from 22.5% in 2020 to over 33%, with the number of female federation presidents tripling. Navarra’s Strategic Plan for Sports and Physical Activity prioritizes equality, promoting policies that respect gender and sexual diversity. Esnaola also emphasized practical initiatives such as campaigns encouraging women coaches and referees and the creation of a lactation and reconciliation room at Larrabide Stadium.
Both Alegría and Esnaola underscored the value of sports as a platform for human values and the necessity of fostering more equitable, inclusive leadership environments. The congress, jointly organized by the Youth Sports Foundation, Superior Sports Council, Spanish Sports Association, and the Government of Aragon, also covered governance, communication, employability, and sustainability in sports leadership.
This national dialogue reflects Spain's commitment to embedding gender equality in sports governance and showcases successful regional and national strategies advancing women's leadership roles for a fairer sports ecosystem.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.