National Girls & Women in Sports Day® Marks Nearly Four Decades of Progress and the Urgent Work Still Ahead

Co-founded by the Women's Sports Foundation^®, National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD^®) has evolved into a nationwide movement that pairs inspiration with advocacy to ensure girls and women can play, lead, and thrive in the game and beyond it. This year's celebration is amplified by cultural collaboration with Flavor Flav and Public Enemy.

NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) is more than a celebration, it is a nationwide movement rooted in equal opportunity, shaped by decades of advocacy, and still vitally important today. Co-founded by the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF^®), NGWSD has galvanized communities across the country to champion equal opportunity for girls and women in sport for nearly four decades. Today, WSF serves as the national steward of NGWSD, convening and amplifying hundreds of celebrations each year while advancing research, advocacy, and policy to ensure progress continues long after the day itself.

"NGWSD exists because access, opportunity, and leadership in sport have never been equal, and progress has never happened by accident," said Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women's Sports Foundation. "Even as women's sports reach new heights in visibility and investment, girls in high school still have one million fewer opportunities to play than boys, a gap that carries forward into college and professional sport. That is why the Women's Sports Foundation co-founded this day nearly 40 years ago and continues to pair inspiration with advocacy today. We are reflecting two connected realities; girls need opportunities and encouragement to step into sport, and systems must change to ensure they can stay, lead, and thrive in the game and beyond it."

As national steward of NGWSD, the Women's Sports Foundation activates the movement across multiple fronts – culture, data, and policy – bringing urgency and visibility to the barriers girls and women still face. Through this work, WSF advances sport as a proven pathway to better health outcomes, leadership pipelines, and long-term economic mobility for girls and women, with impact that extends far beyond the playing field. In 2026, more than 300 NGWSD activations are expected nationwide, led by schools, leagues, professional teams, and community organizations – bringing girls and women together to celebrate sport while reinforcing the systems that support access, leadership, and opportunity at every level. WSF aggregates and amplifies these celebrations through its national NGWSD platform, highlighting the scale of the movement and the collective demand for change.

This NGWSD, the power of women's sports will continue to be celebrated and recognized across culture and generations. WSF is partnering with Flavor Flav and Public Enemy to amplify the movement with the release of "She's Got Game," a reimagining of his classic "He's Got Game," launching today. The song references WSF Founder Billie Jean King, underscoring how the values at the heart of NGWSD continue to influence culture and invest in a future where all girls and women can play.

"As a former athlete, I know firsthand how sport shapes who you become," said Swin Cash, President of the Women's Sports Foundation. "National Girls & Women in Sports Day reminds us that access to sport is not a privilege – it is a pathway to confidence, resilience, and leadership. When we invest in girls, we invest in stronger communities and a more equitable future."

Beyond celebration, NGWSD also advances action. On and around February 4, the Women's Sports Foundation is engaging policymakers in Washington, D.C. to elevate the importance of equal access to sport and to reinforce the role policy plays in shaping opportunity for girls and women nationwide. These efforts reflect the Foundation's belief that lasting change requires both community momentum and institutional accountability.

This National Girls & Women in Sports Day, the Women's Sports Foundation calls on schools, communities, policymakers, and partners across sectors to move beyond celebration and commit to action. By investing in equal opportunity in sport, we can ensure every girl and woman has the opportunity not only to play, but to lead and thrive in the game and beyond it. Learn more about #NGWSD2026 and how to get involved at WomensSportsFoundation.org.

The Women's Sports Foundation is grateful to Bread Financial for its generous multi-year support of NGWSD.

About the Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation^® (WSF^®) exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate, and a catalyst for tomorrow's leaders. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we are one of the first organizations to recognize the powerful connection between sport access, equity, and society. For over 50 years, WSF has been changing the game through its research, advocacy, and community programming, investing over $115 million to help girls and women play, compete, and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers. A leader and champion of the entire women's sports ecosystem, WSF amplifies the vital societal and cultural impact that is made when girls and women play sports. When girls play, they lead, and we all win!^® To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.

Media Contacts:
Kandice Miller
Women's Sports Foundation
479.409.7779
[email protected]

Patty Bifulco
Women's Sports Foundation
631.230.3322
[email protected]

SOURCE Women's Sports Foundation