Women football observers’ experiences: a perspective from system justification and glass ceiling

Our analysis reveals that female football observers, identified as match officials, indicate changes in authoritarian attitudes within recent institutional policies during their stadium experiences, characterized towards a more rational, female observer, and referee-focused stance. Additionally, entrenched stereotypes and legitimizing myths reducing hierarchy appear to generally establish legitimacy for female match officiating within the legitimization process. The research results suggest the importance for policymakers in the central referee committee in Turkey to consider the dimensions of legitimization both verbally and in writing when creating policies regarding women.