摘要：Gender diversity represents a complex phenomenon because of its both positive and negative effects onteam functioning and performance within organizations. In the last decades, scholars and practitioners arepaying an increasing attention to this phenomenon, mostly regarding women in leadership positions. Thesport field, which is always conceived as exclusive “male-dominated business”, is significantly characterizedby gender diversity issue. The role of women in the sport industry, especially in terms of leadership positions,represents still a phenomenon not broadly investigated mainly in the Italian context and in the football area.Starting from a review of the existing contributions in the literature and of practice on the issue, thisconceptual and exploratory study aims at filling the gap in the literature and practice by providing a clear andbrief picture of the current situation of women in the football business, paying attention to two mainperspectives, that is football practice (female football players) and managerial performance (women atleadership positions or as managers in football organizations). We analyze the state of art with specificreference to some factors, such as: the influence of social and cultural determinants that characterize thiscountry; the typology, nature and seniority of football discipline; the difference between professionalism andamateurism in football; the number of female football players and coaches.
