FIFA's women's football tournaments, Glasgow fire, Pilgrimages

FIFA's women's football tournaments, Glasgow fire, Pilgrimages

Author: BBC Radio 4 March 21, 2026 Duration: 29:43

New regulations state that every team in FIFA's women's football tournaments must include at least one female head coach or assistant coach. The requirements will come into effect during the under 17s and under 20s Women's World Cup and Women's Champions Cup competitions this year. Kylie Pentelow caught up on the news with Fern Buckley, sports presenter and former Talksport commentator, and Claire Buzzeo, a football coach at the Sunderland football academy.

Women in Glasgow are pulling together after a fire near the city’s Central Station forced several female‑run salons and small businesses to shut their doors. For nearly two weeks, nail technicians and hairdressers have been unable to trade after their businesses were destroyed by the blaze. But amid the shock and uncertainty, a powerful network of local women has stepped in—rallying support, fundraising, and even donating equipment to help these business owners get back on their feet. Anita speaks to Carolyn Currie from Women's Enterprise Scotland, a membership body for businesswomen and Carina McCreedy who runs Bonos Nail Salon and who has received some of that help.

Dame Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, is on a walking pilgrimage from St Paul’s Cathedral to Canterbury. She is walking the ancient Becket Camino which was once travelled by medieval pilgrims, and her office believes she is the first Archbishop of Canterbury to do this. It will be part of her spiritual preparation for her role. Rev Sally Hitchiner, who knows Dame Sarah and is the Parish Priest of North Lambeth, where she worked alongside the Archbishop when she was Bishop of London joins Nuala to talk about the pilgrimage experience.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Dianne McGregor


For decades, Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4 has been a fixture in British life, creating a unique space where the experiences of women are centered and explored in full. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a daily conversation that feels both urgent and timeless, tackling everything from front-page news and political shifts to intimate personal stories and cultural shifts. Each episode brings together a diverse range of voices-activists, artists, scientists, politicians, and everyday people-to dissect the issues that shape society. You'll hear nuanced debates on health, family, work, and identity, alongside insightful discussions on books, music, and ideas that are defining our moment. The podcast captures all of this, offering a thoughtful and often challenging listen that refuses to simplify the complexities of modern life. It’s where a headline is unpacked with depth, a personal struggle is given context, and inspiration is found in unexpected places. Tuning into this podcast means joining a long-running dialogue that consistently informs, provokes thought, and connects the personal to the political, all through the lens of women's lives and perspectives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Woman's Hour
Podcast Episodes
Weekend Woman's Hour: Loan Sharks, Menopause and ADHD, Bra fitting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:32
Women are being forced to turn to loan sharks due to a "hidden" but devastating form of economic abuse, according to new research. Scottish Women's Aid has published a study on the problem of coerced debt – where an abus…
Menopause and ADHD, Flatpack World Champion, Women and Crime [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:45
Menopause can be challenging for many women, but for those with ADHD, the experience can often feel like life is completely unravelling. For some women in their 40s, 50s and 60s it can also be the first time they realise…
Loan sharks, Social media addiction, Canwen Xu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:55
Women are being forced to turn to loan sharks due to a "hidden" but devastating form of economic abuse, according to new research. Scottish Women's Aid has published a study on the problem of coerced debt – where an abus…
Tracey Neville, Deep fakes and schools, Pensions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:01
In netball, once you’ve got the ball you have to pivot. It turns out that skill can be applied just as neatly to careers for Tracey Neville. The former England netball coach joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her new role a…
Will a woman lead the UN? Play 1536, Bra fitting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:22
In its 80-year history, no woman has ever held the role of United Nations Secretary-General. The race for the job, which happens every 10 years, began in January and the candidates have recently appeared in their one and…
Prof Clare McGlynn, Running around Britain, Chronic pain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:57
Megan Boxall is a 33-year-old runner who has been running clockwise around the coast of Britain, aiming to complete the equivalent of 200 marathons in 204 days. She began at Sizewell Beach in Suffolk in October and is no…
AI fitness instructors, Rosalia, Brazilian jiu jitsu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:46
A BBC investigation has uncovered misleading fitness adverts featuring AI‑generated characters that breach UK advertising rules. If you use social media you've probably seen them: polished fitness videos promising dramat…