Redefining Representation: Neurodivergent Voices in Women’s Football

Representation has always been a core part of women’s football. With more individuals speaking up about social topics in the sport, this has never been more important.

In recent years, people in the industry have raised awareness of the gender pay gap, match accessibility for fans and the increase in scheduled matches in the season calendar. However, one area that has gained significant attention is neurodiversity. 

As more people are being diagnosed with neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD and autism, elite players in sport, such as ex-tennis pro Jenson Brooksby, Bristol Bears’ Ellis Genge, rugby coach Jacob Kelly and broadcaster Sam Smith, have spoken about their neurodiversity and how it affected them in their daily lives. 

Players have also spoken up in women’s football, where a number of women competing in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) have raised awareness by sharing their own experiences. 

Players in the top flight, including Safia Middleton-Patel, Lucy Bronze and Kerstin Casparij, have spoken publicly about being neurodivergent, with Bronze and Middleton-Patel discussing their ADHD and autism, and how it has influenced and shaped their football journeys. 

What is ADHD and Autism? A Quick Guide 

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurological condition in which the brain functions differently from that of most people and varies from person to person, affecting concentration, energy levels, organisation, time management, and impulse control. For athletes with ADHD, sport can provide an outlet to boost confidence, motivation, and mental well-being. 

Autism, also known as Autistic Spectrum Disorder (or ASD), is a developmental condition within the neurodiversity umbrella that affects how people behave, communicate, and learn. Across a spectrum, it presents differently in each individual, but it can impact social interaction and make it difficult to understand how others think and feel. 

Sport can improve mood, confidence, motor skills, and mental well-being and provides a great avenue for meeting like-minded people in a similar environment, but participation rates remain low due to challenges with sensory overload and social anxiety.    

Representation in the WSL: The Impact on Players

In February 2026, Casparij revealed in an interview how neurodiversity affected her on and off the pitch, saying she was “very loud, very chatty” and that it was “such a good thing” that she was hyper-focused on football.  She also revealed that after her diagnosis, her parents were “very supportive”, helping her balance school and sport. 

Bronze has also been very vocal about being neurodivergent, discussing how football made her a ‘better player’ ahead of the 2025 Women’s European Championships, helping her focus, and using her autism’ to her advantage. While Middleton-Patel spoke about experiences she had in football that sometimes were not visible on the pitch, including burnout and masking. 

As neurodiversity becomes more mainstream and athletes openly discuss their experiences, it creates a welcoming environment in which the next generation can feel represented and supported in sport. 

Millington-Stanbury on the Importance of a Diagnosis

It is not just in the top tiers that neurodiversity is being represented and discussed with players.

Earlier this year, Real Bedford goalkeeper Maddison Millington-Stanbury spoke with the FAWNL tier three about her autism and anxiety diagnoses and how it helped her regulate and channel her emotions. She discussed how, when she ‘plays football, everything goes quiet’, highlighting how being on the pitch can help her manage anxiety and sensory overload. Diagnosed while at Arsenal’s academy, she expressed how being neurodivergent helped her make sense of the world. She has since become a vocal advocate for neurodiversity in women’s football, discussing her journey on podcasts and in interviews, sharing her diagnosis with coaches and teammates, and explaining how having a team that understands and supports her has enabled her to thrive. 

Being in football has given Millington-Stanbury a safe, understanding space where she can be herself without feeling compelled to mask or overcompensate for how her brain works, allowing her to focus more on her performances on and off the pitch. But as her career progressed, she began to open up about the struggles she faced in sport and the impact it had on her, both physically and mentally, with social interaction and burnout among the biggest factors. Her diagnosis helped her better understand how her brain works and why her thought processes and experiences sometimes differed from those around her. 

This understanding also allowed her to develop coping strategies to help her feel more comfortable and relaxed in social situations by hyperfocusing on things she can control, such as routine and football, and by building relationships on and off the pitch. She added that her teammates and staff have made a real effort to understand and support her as an individual, adapting to her needs and taking the time to understand her not just as a player, but as a person, with this support helping her to feel more confident.

Balancing Burnout with an Elite Career

As the sporting calendar becomes increasingly congested, with more matches and tournaments being scheduled, burnout among athletes is becoming more common. The demands placed on players being higher than ever can significantly impact the individuals on and off the pitch.

Many players, including Millington-Stanbury, have discussed the challenges of balancing burnout and the pressures of competing in the world's top leagues. Burnout is a common problem in elite sports and careers due to the physical and mental demands of training, competition and the constant pressure to perform. As more people speak about their experiences of burnout, it is clear that greater support is needed. Support from teammates, coaches, and other professionals is essential in helping athletes manage these demands and maintain their well-being.

Middleton- Patel spoke openly about the pressures she faces in professional football in an interview with football media outlet She’s A Baller, managing overwhelming environments, sensory issues and finding a balance between performance and wellbeing. By sharing her experiences, she has become a role model for other players, helping to change perceptions about what it means to succeed on the domestic and international stage, whilst communicating that supportive infrastructures and access to support and guidance can be essential to navigating a sporting environment.

According to the National Autistic Society, 700,000 or more people in the UK live with ASD, with 2.5 million in England estimated to have ADHD in 2025 by ADHD UK and the Financial Times. Despite these figures, there can still be a lack of understanding about how to support neurodiverse athletes, with a lack of tailored coaching being a major factor. Limited coaching education means behaviours such as inattention or meltdowns are often misinterpreted as poor attitude rather than signs of neurodivergence. Grassroots and elite sporting environments often rely on neurotypical coaching styles, leading to high drop-out rates among neurodiverse athletes who feel unsupported and misunderstood. 

These environments create an imbalance between an athlete's needs and the intense demands of training. Without tailored support, these cognitive, sensory, and competitive pressures frequently lead to stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Over time, this may reduce motivation, physical and mental well-being, and increase the likelihood of athletes withdrawing from or quitting sport altogether. 

Research into Neurodiversity in Women’s Football

However, steps have been taken to address this problem. Organisations such as the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) are currently researching neurodiversity in sport to help clubs provide better support.

In a plan unveiled on the PFA website, the PFA proposed establishing stable practice session structures and clear development pathways to help reduce anxiety and also aimed to remove the stigma around disclosing neurodivergent traits in a professional sporting environment. While neurodiversity is yet to be extensively researched in elite sport, the results from this study- which started in 2024- will be used to support further research and the development of inclusive neurodiverse practices among players, coaches and organisations.

Data from the survey showed a 26% increase in neurodiverse traits, including difficulties with attention, focus and social interaction (22%), as well as a strong preference among participants for visual learning. These findings could help players and clubs develop a greater understanding of neurodiversity in football and potentially allow clubs to create structures where they can adapt training sessions or meetings to suit players’ needs. 

Speaking to the PFA’s website, Middleton-Patel spoke about how the study would have helped her when she was younger. She shared how understanding and sharing her diagnosis with teammates and staff helped her navigate difficult conversations about the way she is and how it made her more comfortable on the pitch. The project aims to spark conversations about inclusion and a better understanding of neurodiversity in sport and how football can support the needs of players who ‘might sometimes be less visible’. This study continues the PFA’s commitment to protecting and advancing the well-being of athletes across the professional game. 

Undiagnosed Players

While neurodiversity remains largely unresearched in women’s elite sport, there are still a large number of players undiagnosed in women’s leagues across the UK. 

A 2025 survey by the PFA found that 60% of footballers reported not disclosing their neurodivergent traits to their team or club, with 26% stating they faced difficulties with attention and focus, and 22% reporting issues with social interactions. According to the NHS, one out of seven people in the UK is neurodivergent, but the full number of people with a formal diagnosis is only 5%, as reported in the study in early findings. As previously mentioned by Bronze and Middleton-Patel, many undiagnosed players or athletes who have not disclosed traits usually resort to masking their neurodiversity in competitive, elite sporting environments, with its constant effort often linked to increased stress, anxiety and mental exhaustion. 

The findings from these studies will be used to guide professional teams to establish better support in clubs and organisations, such as adaptable training sessions and cultivate a safe environment for athletes to thrive. 

As women’s football continues to grow, recognition and understanding of neurodiversity in the game has become increasingly important. Although awareness has been shared in experiences by Middleton-Patel, Bronze and Millington-Stanbury, many players remain undiagnosed or choose not to disclose their traits due to stigma or how they may be perceived within elite environments.

Neurodiversity should not be viewed as a barrier to success in football.

Clubs and organisations must ensure that, through investment, improved facilities and ongoing support, players are supported as individuals. By developing inclusive environments, improving coaching education and providing opportunities for personal and sporting growth, they can help every player reach their full potential. As more players share their experiences and research continues to develop, football has the opportunity to build a future where neurodivergent athletes are understood, valued and able to perform at the highest level on and off the pitch. 

Glossary:

Burnout:  While not a medical or mental health condition, burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It can occur when you experience long-term stress and feel under constant pressure, such as balancing football, school, or work. 

Neurodivergent individuals, such as athletes with ADHD or autism, may experience burnout when managing long-term stress, high expectations, and the pressures of masking or fitting in.

Masking: A mechanism by which neurodiverse people suppress natural behaviours to fit in.