FIFA has released a report detailing the global growth of women’s football. Revenue from sponsorships and broadcast deals increased significantly across the sport.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has obviously had a negative impact on all sports in recent years, women’s football has bounced back in a big way. The new report, called Setting the Pace, has shown some very interesting numbers.
How FIFA measured the rise of women’s football
FIFA completed a survey of 30 of the world’s top women’s leagues, including nearly 300 clubs. This report, which was nine months in the making, essentially charts any developments in the game as of May 2021.
The new report states that 77% of leagues surveyed currently have a primary sponsor. This is a dramatic difference compared to 2021, when a similar study showed this figure hovering around 11%.
Overall revenue was also highlighted in the report. 7% of all clubs surveyed generated a total revenue of at least $1 million. This includes the money of the day, the broadcast, the commercials and the cash prizes. These leagues also saw 24% year-over-year growth in commercial revenue.
“The changes are clear in the second edition of the report. We know, we’re sorry,” said FIFA Women’s Football Director General Sarai Bareman.
“Women’s soccer is on a growth trajectory unlike any other sport in this world,” Bareman continued. “It is the biggest opportunity for growth that FIFA as an organization has today, but more importantly, our sport, football, has it today. It is the greatest opportunity for growth that exists. And you don’t have to look far back to see the indicators of that growth.”
revenue growth
Merchandising sales also increased for these clubs. Teams that sell merchandise on game days earn about $311,000 on average. Compare this to the $116,000 in revenue per matchday for clubs that don’t offer merchandise.
Along with revenue, fan engagement is also clearly on the rise. The friendly between the United States women’s national team and England earlier this month drew 78,000 fans and sold out within 24 hours.
A UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final match in March saw even more fans in the stands. More than 91,000 people bought tickets for the match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. The fans were surely not disappointed as the hosts won the thrilling game 5-2 over their rivals.
Photo Credit: IMAGO/Icon Sportswire
