BIRMINGHAM, UK / RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL  – The International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport is delighted to announce that the Brazil Olympic Committee (COB) has been selected as the next host of the IWG Secretariat for the quadrennial period 2026-2030, marking a historic move to South America for the first time.  Following a competitive international bid process, COB was chosen to lead the global network’s strategic operations for the four-year term. This prestigious t

Wednesday 3 December saw the IWG Secretariat and Global Executive meet at Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar, Senegal, for the Annual General Meeting 2025 and Strategic Planning Session. Generously hosted by La Conférence des Ministres de la Jeunesse et des Sports de la Francophonie (CONFEJES) and its Secretary General Louisetter-Renée Thobi OLY (IWG Global Executive Member), the meeting was an opportunity to not only review progress in 2024-2025 but also plans for the IW

International Olympic Committee Joins 9th IWG Global Summit to Accelerate Gender Equity in Sport. The International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport is proud to announce the renewal of its long-standing collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) . The IOC has signed on as a Supporting Partner for the upcoming 9th IWG Global Summit on Women & Sport   , taking place 9-11 July 2026 at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham, UK. This announ

The IWG Global Summit 2026 tickets are officially live!   Be part of this unmissable event, bringing together leaders, changemakers and organisations from around the world committed to advancing gender equity in sport and physical activity.  The IWG Global Summit promises to be the world’s foremost gathering of leaders in sport, providing a platform for sharing best practices and the latest insights affecting women and girls in sport and physical activity. Set against a mome

On Wednesday 12 November 2025, IWG Secretary General Lisa O’Keefe MBE represented the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport at the Sport and Recreation Alliance  90th Anniversary Celebration and Annual General Meeting, held at the historic St James’s Palace in London.   Chaired by the Alliance’s President, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh , the event brought together leaders from across the UK’s sport and recreation sector to reflect on nine decades of progress since t

We are proud to announce UN Women has signed a landmark agreement with IWG to accelerate gender equality across the global sports arena. The partnership will harness sport’s power to empower women and girls, strengthen movements, and drive systemic change worldwide. Through the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the two partners will work with governments, federations and civil society to build coalitions and press for shifts in policy, practice and social norms that adva

The International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport is delighted to be teaming up with Aston Villa Women Football Club (AVWFC), with the IWG Global Summit 2026 logo displayed on the team’s match shirts during the opening month of the 2025/26 season.

IWG’s Secretary General Lisa O’Keefe MBE and Global Executive member Etsuko Ogasawara were in attendance at the ASEAN conference on gender equity in sports in Penang, Malaysia, at the end of last month, where Lisa also delivered a keynote presentation.

Call for Presentations: Share Your Expertise at the IWG Global Summit 2026 Do you have findings, insights, learnings or best practice examples that can help level the playing field for women and girls in sport? Do you want to share your expertise with global leaders, policymakers and change makers? We want to hear from you.

This week marks the ‘one year to go’ countdown until the IWG Global Summit 2026, hosted by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport. The Summit is set to be the foremost gathering of thought leaders in the sport industry, providing a platform for sharing best practices and the latest insights affecting women and sport.