84% of Girls Quit Sport After Their First Period—Snuggs and Manchester City Women Are Out to Change That

The Female Body
May 13
3 min read

It’s time we stop letting periods sideline potential. A new partnership is tackling period stigma in sport—head on.

For generations, periods have been treated like a problem—an inconvenience to be hidden, managed, and certainly never talked about on the field. But when silence comes at the cost of participation, performance, and confidence, something has to give.

According to a 2023 study by Nuffield Health, a staggering 84% of teenage girls lose interest in sport after getting their first period.

One in four say they feel too embarrassed to be active during menstruation. These aren’t just statistics—they’re stories of potential lost before it even had a chance to shine.

But now, one bold collaboration is aiming to shift the narrative.

Snuggs x Manchester City Women: A Game-Changing Move

In a landmark partnership, Snuggs, the period underwear brand, has teamed up with Manchester City Women’s Football Club to tackle the stigma of menstruation in sport—starting from the grassroots and scaling up to the professional game.

The collaboration includes the launch of a co-branded line of high-performance period underwear in City’s signature colours, with team captain Alex Greenwood leading the campaign as Snuggs’ newest ambassador.

"As athletes, we know the challenges menstruation can bring – but those challenges aren’t limited to just being an athlete," Greenwood says. "It’s important to encourage open conversations and better education around the menstrual cycle."

Building Confidence Through Education

Beyond product innovation, the collaboration has deeper ambitions. Together, Snuggs and Man City Women are developing a Girl’s Academy Period Programme to engage and educate the next generation of players—equipping them with the knowledge and resources to keep playing, no matter the day of the month.

"Education on topics like this is really important, and for it to be normalised at a younger age is essential – not just for girls, but for boys too," says Greenwood. "The biggest thing is understanding what individuals need to compete, without their cycle becoming a barrier."

Backed by Action, Not Just Awareness

Snuggs isn’t new to this conversation. The brand has already developed an Active range of period underwear specifically for sports, and frequently collaborates with athletes to bring menstrual health into mainstream visibility.

“Beyond this collaboration, we’ve been working to make periods a more open and natural part of sports,” says Snuggs founder Linda Šejdová. “From donating underwear to Girls Academy players to interviewing professional athletes, our mission is clear: no girl should feel sidelined because of her period.”

Riding the Momentum of Women’s Sport

With the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 fast approaching and England defending their title in Switzerland, there’s no better time to spotlight issues that affect performance, inclusion, and longevity in the game.

“As women’s football continues to grow, it’s critical that we address under-researched areas—like how menstruation impacts athletic performance and recovery,” says Charlotte O’Neill, Managing Director at Manchester City Women. “Through partnerships like this, we’re building a future where athletes can thrive, not in spite of their biology, but with a deeper understanding of it.”

Because Sport Shouldn’t Stop for Periods

The Snuggs x Manchester City Women collection is available now at snuggs.uk, featuring three styles for light to heavy flow, priced at £27. But the real value lies in what this partnership represents: a world where periods don’t mean pause—and where every girl has the right to play, without shame.