Women's Sport Is Delivering For Fans. Now It's Delivering For Business, Too

Forbes

7 days ago

Millions await the players of England's victorious team - and about time too! Chloe Kelly of England ... More celebrates with the UEFA Women's EURO trophy after her team's victory in the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Molly Darlington - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
England's Lionesses are champions once again. A dramatic penalty shootout in Basel secured their second consecutive UEFA Women's Euro title, this time defeating the reigning world champions, Spain. It was a historic win. But while the nation celebrated the result, another equally significant shift was underway: women's football is no longer just delivering for fans, it's clear it is delivering for business too.
This tournament was not a campaign about potential. It was a fully formed commercial product. A live demonstration of what happens when talent is properly supported - players truly live their values, audiences are given access, and brands approach women's sport not as a side project, but as a serious investment.
As someone who has spent 15 years supporting across every level of women's sport, from championing grassroots access to advising major global brands and retailers on this opportunity, I've long argued that women's sport isn't a PR play. It's a commercial opportunity hiding in plain sight. And this summer, the viewing numbers finally caught up with the belief.
England's win wasn't just a sporting success. It delivered some of the strongest business metrics we've seen in sport this year: record TV audiences in the UK, significant increases in merchandise sales, and a projected £800 million in wider economic impact. But perhaps most tellingly, sponsors involved in the tournament are reporting significantly higher consumer affinity than their equivalents in the men's game.
This shift has been years in the making. Brands like EA Sports, PlayStation, Heineken, and Just Eat have all backed the Lionesses with increasing levels of uplift and success. Meanwhile, newer partners like Volkswagen have supported the UEFA Women's EURO games in line with the work in diversity. Christine Wolburg, Chief Brand Officer of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, explains: "The promotion of women's football and women in football are central to our commitment to female empowerment and equality in sport. For many years, we have been committed to this with deep conviction and on a broad corporate basis, both nationally and internationally. Sponsoring UEFA Women's EURO this summer is therefore a further commitment to visibility, fairness and real participation."
These partnerships are no longer symbolic. They are strategic.
And the women's game is evolving just as rapidly off the pitch as it is on it. Players today are not only exceptional athletes, they're commercial catalysts. No one exemplifies that better right now than Michelle Agyemang.
Princely sponsorships await: Prince William, Prince of Wales, shakes hands with Michelle Agyemang of ... More England after the team's victory in the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by)
At just 19 years old, Agyemang emerged as the breakout star of the tournament. Until this month, she had only 14 minutes of senior international football. But by the final whistle in Basel, she had become Player of the Tournament, scoring crucial goals, handling media appearances with composure, and embodying the authenticity that consumers increasingly demand.
Born in South Ockendon, of Ghanaian descent, and a lifelong Arsenal supporter, Agyemang was introduced to football through her grassroots coach father. She joined Arsenal's academy at six, initially playing in defence before developing into a dynamic forward. Her family supports a range of Premier League teams, Manchester United, Chelsea, West Ham, but she stayed loyal to the club she loved. That kind of personal story, that kind of connection to community, isn't manufactured. It's magnetic.
And it's why she will become one of the most sought-after brand partners of her generation.
But Agyemang is just one example. The wider value proposition of women's football lies in its depth, its ability to connect. Audiences believe in these players not just because they're talented, but because they represent something real. In a crowded, sometimes cynical marketing environment, that kind of trust is priceless.
BASEL, SWITZERLAND - JULY 27: Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton of England, Lucy Bronze of England, Niamh ... More Charles of England, Keira Walsh of England, Alex Greenwood of England, Leah Williamson of England, Lauren James of England, Georgia Stanway of England, Beth Mead of England, Ella Toone of England, Lauren Hemp of England, Maya Le Tissier of England, Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse of England, Grace Clinton of England, Esme Morgan of England, Jessica Carter of England, Michelle Agyemang of England, Chloe Kelly of England, Agnes Beever-Jones of England, Jessica Park of England, Goalkeeper Khiara Keating of England, Lotte Wubben-Moy of England, Alessia Russo of England and Head coach Sarina Wiegman of England celebrating their sides win after the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Final match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on July 27, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Leiting Gao/)
According to recent research from the Women's Sport Trust, fans of women's sport are more likely to take action after seeing a sponsor than fans of men's sport, whether that's seeking out more information, engaging with a campaign, or changing their purchase behaviour. And yet, brand saturation remains low. For those willing to invest now, the cut-through is unmatched.
Based on the momentum already in motion, the UK women's football ecosystem, from sponsorship and media rights to merchandising and adjacent consumer spend could exceed £1 billion annually by 2030. That projection isn't rooted in hope; it's based on rising audience numbers, expanding media deals, and growing commercial appetite. This year's tournament alone generated hundreds of millions in retail and hospitality impact & that's without factoring in the halo effect across merchandise, digital content, and cultural engagement.
But the question now is not whether women's football has earned its place. It has. The real question is what we do with that spotlight and how we ensure it extends far beyond major finals.
This cannot be a victory moment that fades until the next tournament. The focus now must be on embedding legacy on ensuring this isn't just peak-time coverage for peak-time players, but part of a long-term commitment to women's sport at every level. From school sports to club academies, from WSL to League One, from football to rugby (Rugby Union and Rugby League) cricket and beyond the pipeline is where the real potential lies.
Women's football has proven its commercial strength. But many other women's sports equally rich in talent and community, remain underexposed and underfunded. If we want to future-proof the sector, we need to broaden our lens and invest across the spectrum, not just at the summit.
Brands have a real opportunity here. Not simply to be seen, but to be part of something lasting. The partnerships that will hold value are those rooted in credibility, consistency, and contribution. That could mean deeper support for training infrastructure. It could mean more year-round storytelling. It could simply mean staying present when the cameras aren't.
This is the time to move from campaign to commitment. Women's football may have opened the door but if we want to see the full value of women's sport, we need to push it wider.
England's win was a powerful statement. Now the responsibility and the opportunity, sits with us.
This is not the end of the story. It's the start of what could be the most valuable era in the business of sport.