Report: More People Want More Women’s Soccer, Sponsors Get Good Grades
Monday, February 24, 2025 at 02:14PM By Barry Janoff
February 24, 2025: Stating that “Women’s football is undergoing an unparalleled period of growth, with recent years seeing soaring popularity and marked uplifts across every level of the sport,” a new global report shows that there are nearly 200 million fans of women’s soccer ages 16-64 across six surveyed markets but that 76% of those surveyed feel that they don’t see enough coverage of women’s soccer.
In addition, “Women's soccer fans are key audience for brands, with 79% of fans being involved in company decision making process when purchasing new products or services — 10% more than the national average,” according to the just-released “Rise of Women’s Football — A Movement, Not A Moment’, commissioned by global sports marketing agency SportFive.
The survey covered Australia, France, Germany, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.
“Women’s football has evolved from a burgeoning interest to a global phenomenon, experiencing unprecedented growth and capturing the hearts of millions worldwide,” Stefan Felsing, CEO, SportFive, said via the agency.
“Now, more than ever, is the opportune moment to invest in and champion women‘s football, capitalizing on its dynamic ascent.”
The survey comes as the NWSL expanded from 12 to14 clubs in 2024 and is growing to 16 clubs in 2026.
In 2024, the United Soccer League Women’s Super League played its first season with eight clubs, also with plans to expand.
This past October, UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) and UEFA Women’s Football unveiled “Unstoppable,” a six-year plan aimed at increasing the number of women and girls — and the number of pro leagues across the continent — playing the game.
UEFA and UEFA Women’s Football said they have pledged $1 billion “of competition revenue and UEFA investment to women's football initiatives, supporting national association grassroots and development projects and transforming our competitions.”
According to the SportFive study, for which 12,000 respondents were surveyed about women’s soccer across the six markets, an average of 54% of the population ages 16-64 have an interest in women’s football.
The most prevalent reason behind fans starting to follow women’s soccer is “due to an interest in the national team, with the enjoyment, entertainment and unique character of the women’s game the most prominent reason behind their continued fandom.”
Good news for women’s soccer marketing partners: “62% of fans perceive women’s sponsors of women’s football to be more likable.”
In addition, “Women's football fans are key audience for brands with 79% of fans being involved in company decision making process when purchasing new products or services — 10% more than the national average.”
SportFive said more than 1,600 sponsors across six major women’s domestic leagues were analyzed “as part of the report’s aim to understand the commercial landscape of women’s soccer.”
Among the findings, “Brands have the most significant impact on the commercial revenue of women’s soccer, overshadowing matchday and broadcast.
“Sponsorship is a crucial part of this impact, with the Engineering, Construction and Trade industry contributing with the most sponsorships in women’s football with 10.2% of the market share”.
Major global brands are leading the way with sponsorships in women’s football, with Nike having the most deals, followed by Coca-Cola, EA Sports and adidas.
“Now, more than ever, is the opportune moment to invest in and champion women‘s football, capitalizing on its dynamic ascent.”
Traditional channels (TV) and content types (live games and highlights) are still the preferred choices for women’s soccer fans, “but the importance of social media and alternative forms of content, such as interviews, documentaries and behind the scenes is growing.”
Some 81% of fans would like to see specific content formats produced for women’s football.
“This whitepaper is a testament to our commitment to women‘s football,” said Felsing,
“We delve into its rich history, analyze the current commercial landscape and identify future opportunities. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive roadmap for brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to navigate and contribute to the sport‘s flourishing ecosystem.”
Back to Home Page