Eni Aluko accuses male pundits of ‘dominating’ broadcasting opportunities in women’s football

The 38-year-old also hit out at former Arsenal striker Ian Wright for blocking pathways for female pundits

(REUTERS)

Eni Aluko claimed that Ian Wright is ‘dominating’ the broadcasting landscape in women’s football and needs to be aware of the risk of ‘blocking opportunities’ for female pundits.

Former Arsenal striker Wright is a positive champion of women’s football and a regular pundit for Lionesses matches. Last year he launched the podcast Crossways with former England captain Steph Houghton focused on the women's game and anchored the Women’s Euro 2025 draw in Switzerland.

Aluko claimed there are a ‘finite amount of opportunities’ for regular pundit spots open to women who want to make their way into football broadcasting and that men need to be aware they could be blocking that pathway.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour Aluko also claimed that opportunities in the men’s game are not as equal as the women’s game.

When asked about working with Wright, Aluko answered: "I've worked with Ian a long time and, you know, I think he's a brilliant broadcaster, but I think he's aware of just how much he's doing in the women's game. I think he should be aware of that.

"The fact of the matter is, there is a limited amount of spaces available. If we had a situation where there was an equal opportunity in the men's game for broadcasters and coaches that there is in the women's game, it's a free for all.

"But that's not the case. I can't dominate the men's game in the way that, you know, you used Ian as an example."

The 38-year-old was then pushed on whether she believed it was wrong for Wright to be covering women’s football and she added: “I don't know about wrong, but I think we need to be conscious and we need to make sure that women are not being blocked from having a pathway into broadcasting in the women's game.

"It's still new, it's still growing. There's a finite amount of opportunities and I think that men need to be aware of that."