The Women’s Super League (WSL) has secured a major financial boost with a new television deal with Sky Sports and the BBC, spanning five years and valued at approximately £65 million, or £13 million annually.
This is nearly double the value of the current deal, which was estimated to be worth between £7 million and £8 million per season.
The new deal will see Sky broadcast up to 118 games per season, a significant increase from the 44 matches it will air this season.
Of these, 78 will be exclusive to Sky, with the remainder shared between the BBC and the WSL’s YouTube channel. The BBC will have exclusive rights to 14 matches, with a total of 21 games airing across its platforms.
The expanded coverage is expected to significantly increase viewership and accessibility, providing a major boost for the league. This new agreement provides a crucial injection of capital to support player recruitment, youth development, and overall league infrastructure.
In addition to this domestic boost, UEFA has committed €1 billion (£834.8 million) over the next six years as part of its strategy to expand women’s football across Europe. By 2030, UEFA aims to see six fully professional leagues established across the continent, alongside increasing the number of fully professional players from 3,049 to 5,000.
UEFA’s new strategy also focuses on improving player welfare and strengthening development pathways for players, coaches, and referees.