In 2022, women’s football in the UK finally had its watershed moment as the England side brought the Euros trophy home. This presented a marked change for advertisers, fans and players alike. The Euro 2022 final had a peak audience of 17.4m, a whopping 49% increase on the previous record, England’s 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to the USA. Audiences were watching, listening, engaged.
At the following year’s Women’s World Cup, England’s matches delivered strong performances against the most sought-after TV buying audiences, such as 16-34 ads and ABC1 ads, with viewers split almost evenly between genders. This combined with an impressive reach of 42% of light TV viewers further highlighted the potential of women’s sport to reach mass TV viewing audiences.
England’s opening match of the 2025 Euros on 5th July attracted a peak audience of 3.9m on ITV, lower than the 2022 curtain-raiser (which was boosted by being on home soil) but still an impressive reach given the match competed directly with both Wimbledon and the FIFA Club World Cup.
As we hope for the Lionesses to repeat their heroics, how can brands reach the growing audience?
While partnerships with official broadcasters are the most obvious route, they come at a premium. For smaller brands, there are plenty of other opportunities to show support for the women’s game.
There has been huge growth in partnerships and brand deals with star players – among them Lucy Bronze and Lauren James – since the last Euros. Equally, there are women’s football creators, analysts and influencers like Ally Flan and Nancy Baker covering the tournament. These figures present ample opportunities to create social content in the lead up to and around the matches.
Like much of the sporting world, women’s football has seen a surge in experiential partnerships. What once was reserved for grassroots communities in major cities is now accessible to the masses through a rise in live streaming and virtual gaming experiences on platforms including Roblox.
Early champions of women’s football – among them The Guardian, Telegraph, and sports titles like The Athletic – offer opportunities to co-create branded editorial content. At the same time, podcasts such as Big Kick Energy and Counter Pressed have attracted dedicated fanbases. Each of these presents an opening for brands to build presence in women’s football through trusted voices.
Such partnerships can exist beyond tournaments and matches, driving lasting social purpose. A memorable example of this is Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), which collaborated with England star Fran Kirby on its memorable Unseen Signals campaign, cutting through the buzz around the Women’s World Cup to draw attention to suicide rates among young women.
The economic case for investment in women’s football is strong. UEFA predicts that the commercial value of the women’s game in Europe will reach €686m (£585m) over the next decade. 84% of fans perceive women’s football as being ‘more progressive, less money-driven and more family-oriented’. Brands that may be hesitant to get involved in sport can align with women’s football on values.
What’s more, the market is far from saturated, meaning brands that go all in now can still be viewed as pioneers. Women’s football presents an opportunity for brands to deliver purpose-based strategies alongside the sporting world’s rising stars.
