The Rising Popularity of Women’s Football

How the Beautiful Game Is Becoming More Inclusive

By Sportypoll Staff I June 4, 2025

For decades, women’s football battled against stereotypes and limited opportunities, often overshadowed by the prominence of the men’s game. Despite these challenges, the resilience and passion of female footballers have gradually brought the sport into the spotlight.

There is no denying the surge in popularity of women’s football, even though it still lags the men’s game in terms of prestige and financial rewards. Fans are flocking to stadiums and tuning in to their televisions in ever-increasing numbers to watch high-profile women’s matches.

Here are a few compelling examples that illustrate the global growth of women’s football:

Women’s World Cup 2023 Broke Viewership Records

The 2023 Women’s World Cup final shattered television viewing records for women’s football. This was not an isolated incident, as the tournament boasted record attendances across venues.

12 million viewers on BBC One watched Spain defeat England in the final. This viewership figure eclipsed the men’s Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, which attracted 11.3 million viewers.

A record-breaking 5.6 million Spaniards also tuned in to watch the final, with peak viewership reaching a staggering 7.4 million, according to Barlovento Comunicación. This feat marks not only the highest TV audience for a women’s football match in Spain but also highlights a fascinating trend – 56.2% of the peak audience was male, demonstrating the broadening appeal of the sport.

Australia too witnessed a surge in viewership, with the final attracting a peak audience of 5.5 million. Notably, the Matilda’s thrilling semi-final defeat to England drew an average of 7.2 million viewers on Channel Seven, with a peak of a staggering 11.1 million. These figures mark the highest ever recorded by Australian television ratings body OzTAM since its inception in 2001.

Join Our Football Community Follow Us

Join Our Football Community , Follow Us

Germany's Frauen-Bundesliga Announces Expansion Plans

The German Football Association (DFB) has greenlit the expansion of the top-flight women’s football league, the Frauen-Bundesliga, from 12 to 14 teams.

Among Europe’s five major leagues, only Spain’s Liga F boasts more teams than the planned expansion of the Frauen-Bundesliga. Home to the current European champions FC Barcelona, Liga F currently fields 15 teams. The English Women’s Super League and France’s Division 1 Féminine both have 12 teams, while Italy’s Serie A currently features just 10.

The Frauen-Bundesliga recently secured a major sponsorship deal with Google Pixel. This four-year naming rights agreement, valued at over $22 million (€20.7 million), underscores a significant commitment to financial equality. A whopping 90% of the proceeds from this agreement will be shared equally among all 12 clubs, granting them an additional $415,000 (€388,000) annually.

This substantial investment from a global tech giant like Google into the Frauen-Bundesliga not only highlights the increasing commercial appeal of the league, but also reflects the expanding fan base and heightened media attention surrounding it.

NWSL Growing at an Unprecedented Pace in the US

The National Women’s Soccer League capped off a phenomenal 2023 season in style. Not only did they witness record-breaking attendances throughout the year, but the league’s commitment to growth is evident with the addition of two new franchises in 2024, with further expansion planned for 2026.

The division has agreed a new media rights deal, which will bring in $60 million per year. This amount is over 40 times what was earned under the prior deal. Games will be broadcasted across a range of platforms, including Amazon, CBS, ESPN, and the Scripps-owned ION network, all of which will share the coverage of regular season and playoff matches.

NWSL attendances soared past 1.2 million for the regular season, a sizeable 26% rise year-on-year. This follows a 50% jump in 2022! Megan Rapinoe’s OL Reign swansong smashed the league attendance record, drawing over 34,000 fans to Seattle’s Lumen Field.

Ten franchises also saw a surge in home attendances compared to the previous season. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman remarked that the number of matches exceeding 10,000 in attendance had doubled.

Popularity of women’s football overall has skyrocketed in the United States. According to research firm NRG, the NWSL is the fastest growing sport in the country.

Join Our Football Community Follow Us

Join Our Football Community , Follow Us

Women’s Football Participation Soars in Spain

The interest in football among Spanish female athletes has increased significantly in recent years. The year 2014 saw approximately 44,000 female players registered, and by 2023, this figure had demonstrably doubled to 88,000. This growth can be attributed to a growing recognition of football as a sustainable career choice for women in the country.

Media coverage, sponsorships, and grassroots programmes have all been instrumental in inspiring young girls to chase their footballing dreams. Spain’s successful World Cup campaign and emergence of global stars, like Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, have made Spanish girls believe that football is a sport for everyone.

WSL Revenues Increase By 50%

Women’s Super League club revenues have soared by 50% to a scorching £48 million in the 2022-23 season, fueled by the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 win. This isn’t a flash in the pan – experts predict even more lucrative seasons ahead, with revenues projected to hit £52 million and £68 million in the next two years.

Fans are catching on too! Average attendance skyrocketed from a respectable 1,923 to a phenomenal 5,616, with clubs finally allowing their women’s teams to play in their main stadiums.

This translates to a sizzling £7 million in matchday revenue. England’s World Cup run in 2023 kept the momentum going, pushing combined attendance across the WSL and Championship past a million for the first time ever.

These are only a few examples that prove that women’s football is no longer on the sidelines. The beautiful game is experiencing a beautiful boom, as female footballers experience more recognition for their craft. There is still a long way to go, but the future does look bright for women’s football around the globe.