Olivia Smith: First £1m transfer shows good and bad of women’s football Sport Business As a snapshot of the state of women’s club football, Arsenal’s world record £1m signing of Canadian forward Olivia Smith from Liverpool works pretty well. The first ever million-pound transfer in the women’s game underlines the rapid financial evolution it has undergone since the turn of the decade, as investment has poured in from clubs, [...]
Women’s Euro 2025: WSL and Barcelona lead way for player provision Sport Business The Women’s Super League’s status as the leading domestic competition has been underlined by a squad analysis of all players at the current Women’s Euro 2025. While some European clubs are arguably bigger in terms of historical success and star power, as a whole the English top flight has by far the biggest array of [...]
London City Lionesses score Nike kit deal following promotion to WSL Sport Business London City Lionesses have secured a high-profile kit deal with Nike following their promotion to the Women’s Super League (WSL) for the first time. The trailblazing club – owned by American Michele Kang – are the only side in the WSL to be fully independent, with no ties to a men’s professional team in the [...]
Women’s football: Why brand is key to building on Lionesses’ success June 27, 2025 With the Women’s Euros approaching the spotlight is bright on the Lionesses, and domestic clubs will be looking to capitalise on the momentum of the tournament by converting national fans into home team supporters. This is where brand comes in. Crucial for building greater connections, a sense of belonging and loyalty, and for attracting the [...]
WSL to expand to 14 teams from 2026-27 season June 16, 2025 The Women’s Super League will expand to 14 teams from the 2026-27 season, it was announced on Monday. The top flight of English women’s football will grow in size after the coming season, with two teams promoted from the second division into the Women’s Super League and the third-place team facing the WSL’s bottom side [...]
Does the Women’s Super League need a salary cap or other cost controls? June 13, 2025 Does the Women’s Super League need a salary cap? That was the question posed this week by no less an authority than Deloitte’s Sports Business Group upon the release of its 34th Annual Review of Football Finance. The report contained plenty of positive updates on the finances of WSL teams: aggregate revenue grew 36 per [...]
WSL revenues will pass £100m in 2026, says Deloitte June 9, 2025 Total revenues of Women’s Super League (WSL) clubs grew by 34 per cent to £65m in the 2023-24 season and are tipped to hit £100m for the first time next year, says Deloitte. All income streams were up but the biggest increase was a 73 per cent uplift in matchday revenue to £12m, thanks to [...]
Reddit founder Ohanian ‘honoured’ to invest £20m in WSL side Chelsea May 15, 2025 Reddit founder and husband of Sarina Williams Alexis Ohanian says he’s honoured to become an investor in Chelsea Women. The American has invested £20m in the Women’s Super League champions in return for a 10 per cent stake in the London club, valuing them at £200m. Ohanian, estimated to be worth $150m, will be at [...]
Everton Women to inherit Goodison Park next season May 13, 2025 Goodison Park is to become the home of Everton Women after the men’s team relocates to its new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock this summer. It follows a review by Everton’s owners, The Friedkin Group, into what to do with the stadium, which has been the club’s home for more than 130 years. The 39,000-capacity venue [...]
Chelsea Women sign Skoda as first back of shirt sponsor May 8, 2025 Chelsea Women will get their first ever back of shirt partner after signing an extension to its partnership with Skoda. The Czech brand’s UK arm will don the back of the Chelsea shirts, effective immediately, having first partnered with the Kingsmeadow club in 2024. Chelsea won their sixth consecutive Women’s Super League title this month [...]