Women’s Football: The Smart Gateway to Sponsorship for Brands

Providing a New Avenue For Brands

Sport is one of the most influential platforms in the world. Trillions (yes, trillions) of hours are spent watching sport’s biggest moments, billions of people interact with and engage their favourite team, athlete or league, and millions of fans attend live sporting events every week.

Few, if any, platforms can compete with the level of truly global interest and engagement that sport draws - and so it’s little wonder that sport and sports sponsorship attract the largest and most successful businesses in the world.

But in a space where the biggest brands are already reaping the rewards of their investment in the largest competitions, leagues, teams and athletes, how do businesses looking to start their journey in sport build a sustainable sponsorship portfolio while still seeing a return on their investment?

This is where the recent significant rise of women’s sport, is changing the sponsorship landscape for brands.

Women’s Football as a High ROI Sponsorship Platform

Women’s sports have undergone exceptional growth in recent years, driven by societal changes, soaring demand and rising fan interest - all contributing to a remarkable uplift in commercial value and opportunities for brands.

Findings from Deloitte show that since 2021, the women’s elite sport industry has seen its global revenues increase by more than 240%, cementing its place as one of the fastest‑growing segments of the wider sports industry.

At the centre of this growth is football, which - alongside basketball - has risen to become the most commercially valuable women’s sport in recent years. With an estimated global yearly revenue of $820 million, football accounts for around 35% of the wider women’s sports industry’s annual revenue.

The rapid rise in interest, coupled with women’s football’s unique fanbase, has helped many brands identify a gap in the commercial valuation of rights within the women’s game, allowing for lower entry costs and higher returns on investment.

Consequently, brands are now actively seeking out partnerships either directly with women’s teams or with clubs that have both strong men’s and women’s teams.

The Value of Sponsorship in Women’s Football

Let’s be clear, women’s football and women’s sport as a whole, is far more than just an entry point for businesses looking to dip their toe into the world of sport sponsorship.

Women’s football provides businesses with a sponsorship platform that is rarely seen at the highest level of elite sports. More than 66% of women’s football clubs’ revenue is generated through commercial income such as sponsorships.

This heightened importance of commercial partners gives sponsoring brands greater autonomy and trust. This in turn leads to a more collaborative relationship between sponsor and rights holder, forming a unique connection that  differs from those seen in men’s sports.

Importantly, this trust is not only felt among the rights holders, but also by the fans. SPORTFIVE’s whitepaper: ‘The Rise of Women’s Football: A Movement, Not a Moment’ found that sponsor perception is notably higher in women’s football, compared to men’s - with 62% of fans perceiving sponsors of women’s football to be more likeable.

The study also delves into one of the biggest drivers behind the sport’s rapid growth and commercial backing by brands: the fans. Across six key markets, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US, the whitepaper found that 196.2 million people aged 16-64 are interested in women’s football.

This equates to an average of 54% of the populations of the researched countries having either a moderate or strong interest in the sport, with a notable peak in the UK where the numbers rise to 62%. These numbers underline that women’s football is not just a growing sport that will return investment in the future - it is a sport that delivers value for brands now.

What does the sponsorship landscape look like?

With its burgeoning commercial opportunities and relatively low cost of entry, the women’s football sponsorship landscape is understandably in a phase of change and growth. Unlike the men’s game, where there is an established pecking order for sponsoring brands, women’s football can be compared to a world map from the 1500s - filled with uncharted territories.

Further research from the aforementioned ‘The Rise of Women’s Football: A Movement, Not a Moment’ whitepaper has found that innovator and early adopter brands have already started placing their flags in strategic markets.

Data from the top leagues in Australia, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US found that two particular industries have invested heavily in women’s football, with Engineering, Construction & Trade as well as Financial Services taking over 20% of the market. 

This is particularly true in Germany, where these industries account for over 70% of all sponsorships. In the UK, sponsorships are more evenly distributed, but Retail, Food & Beverage and the Sports industries are all significant investors.

Looking more closely at which specific brands sponsor the most clubs across the same leagues, it’s no great surprise to see sports-centred businesses like Nike, Adidas and EA Sports all in the top five, but they are also joined by brands from a wide range of industries, including Coca-Cola, McDonalds, CuxtaBank, Asahi, eTORO, Gatorade, Allianz, Audi, and more.

This diversity of sponsors visible across the six leagues studied, as well as how clearly sponsoring industries differ from market to market (see image below), should be noted by brands. It shows significant opportunity in a landscape which hasn’t yet been set and started to incur larger costs of entry, but it also shows that brands must adapt to each market and the different stages they are in.

The takeaway for brands

The takeaway for brands here is that women’s football offers a clear opportunity - whether it be for businesses entering sponsorship for the first time or for those wanting to diversify their existing sponsorship portfolio with partnerships that provide more freedom and greater autonomy.

Either way, brands need to understand women’s football’s unique culture and platform and tailor partnerships to the unique fanbase and culture of the sport. Virginie Adnet, Sponsorship Director for OL Lyonnes, the most successful club in UEFA Women’s Champions League history summarised it perfectly when she said:

“Brands should note that investing in women’s football means approaching the sport with a different perspective. It’s much more than just a game; it’s a catalyst for social change, a symbol of progress, and if done right it can position the brand alongside the sport’s values.”