UK's Manchester City Football Club urged its community to help #BreakTheBias

 March 18, 2022

In celebration of International Women's Day 2022, the UK's Manchester City Football Club painted the #BreakTheBias campaign theme onto a training pitch at the City Football Academy. 

Using 80 cans of white paint, a programmed robot emblazoned the powerful tagline onto Pitch 14 over the course of four hours.

Manchester City's trailblazing women's team then trained upon the grass to create an iconic image in which their professional female athletes play the sport they love within the state-of-the-art facilities, upon IWD's key messaging, and with the backdrop of the Academy and Etihad Stadiums.

Watch the video.

Manchester City hosted a range of IWD activity

Manchester City also hosted a wide range of further International Women's Day activity.

Catch the #BreakTheBias podcast with Manchester City footballers Karen Bardsley and Esme Morgan and Head Coach of Manchester City Women, Gareth Tailor.

Manchester City player Steph Houghton penned an International Women's Day letter to future budding footballers.

Students from across Manchester joined Manchester City for a unique event at the City Football Academy. The Club’s official charity welcomed 90 young women to the indoor pitch for a multi-sports festival, followed by a speed-networking event with female senior leaders from Manchester City Football Club, City in the Community and external organisations at the Etihad stadium. The event's multi-sports festival included football games, street dancing and team-building workshops. As part of the activities, Club sponsor PUMA donated sports bras to all participants during a breast health education session.

Manchester City midfielder, Ilkay Gundogan, spoke with Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini to discuss female role models in sport.

Additionally, the 2022 Continental Cup winners joined to narrate a poem: #BreakTheBias: Fighting for our goals which was written by the Club’s Women’s Football Editor Caroline Oatway. The poem highlights the challenges faced by female footballers, the stereotypes associated with the game and the importance of togetherness and diversity in the fight for equality and equity.

Karen Bardsley and Jess Park spent time with footballers from the first ever Manchester City Women’s team, as part of City in the Community’s (CITC) International Women’s Day celebrations. Speaking at the IWD session, Karen commented on how the women had paved the way for her own career. “They’ve had to go through a lot without many opportunities like what we have now, so it makes me feel really grateful,” she said. 

Furthermore, Belgian professional footballer and Manchester City midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne, who is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world reinforced that everyone has a role to play in helping create a more equal and inclusive world. He spoke about the women in his life and the role his family and friends play to ensure he stays at the top of his game, and his hopes for their happiness and increasing opportunities. As a father, Kevin says he strives for a better world for his daughter and sons, and - as one of the world's best players - recognises the importance of allies and positive role models in the fight for equality and equity.