Meet Hannah Kuntz, New Women’s Football Editor at Bonito

I started playing football at 13, not as an aspiring professional but as someone who hated the gym. Football was a fun way to move without counting reps or minutes. Later, I played in rec leagues across the US and England. The game connected me with people I would never have met otherwise. Often, I was the only woman on the pitch, something that made me proud, not intimidated.

Growing up, women’s football rarely made headlines outside of major events like the World Cup. I still remember attending group-stage matches of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Yet even that excitement could not compare to the electric energy of the sold-out final, where 90,000 fans watched the US defeat China in a dramatic penalty shootout. As a dual US/UK citizen, I have always split my loyalties, cheering for the US women and the English men. The US women’s relentless pursuit of visibility, respect, and equal pay has been groundbreaking, mirrored by the efforts of players around the world. In Chile, for example, the National Association of Women’s Football Players (ANJUFF) recently signed an equity agreement with the national federation, securing better preparation standards and labor rights ahead of the 2025 Copa América Femenina.

This year, women’s football has been everywhere: in my social media feeds and across the global stage. The excitement is real. Nielsen and PepsiCo’s Undervalued to Unstoppable report captured it perfectly. Women’s football is not just growing; it is reshaping global sport, business, and identity. But even with this momentum, challenges remain, especially in grassroots investment.

Back in 2014, my master's dissertation examined how sport shapes young women's self-perception in Honduras. It also revealed the barriers that keep girls from playing, such as a lack of safe spaces, cultural expectations, and the stigma of "masculine" sports. Many of those barriers persist today. While I have been lucky to keep playing, sexism on the pitch still surfaces. At university in the UK, I was once denied entry to a charity tournament because organizers decided to "adhere to Football Association rules." Years later, I found an incredible "all abilities" Meetup group, mostly men, which offered a space to start playing regularly again. In 2023, I was one of two women in our winter tournament, and we won on the same pitch where I had once been denied entry. Moments like that remind me why I love football and the community it builds. More importantly, it shows the game is evolving, that there are spaces for everyone to enjoy the game, regardless of age or gender.

Earlier this year, I lost a job I loved in the nonprofit sector. Instead of stepping back, I pivoted toward women's sport. As part of my networking efforts, I met Per Sandström, co-founder of the Bonito Foundation. After hearing about their soon-to-be-launched editorial website, I offered to contribute as a writer; the focus area wasn't hard to choose.

As a Women's Football Editor at the Bonito Foundation, I'm on a mission to spotlight the global rise of the women's game, its players, progress, and promise. For me, football has always been more than a sport. It is a story of connection, resilience, and legacy, and this is just the beginning.