Women’s sport is finally beginning to claim the place in society that it justly deserves. Sparked by the Lionesses’ history-making performance in the 2022 Euros and the 2023 World Cup, women’s football in particular is thriving – on the pitch; in the stands; and in our living rooms.
Since our partnership began in 2021, audiences for the Women’s Super League (WSL) have quadrupled, with peak viewership in last season’s final game up 66 per cent compared to the previous year.
This growth isn’t confined to football; wherever you look across the entire professional sporting calendar – from cricket to tennis, golf to netball – more fans than ever are tuning in to witness the brilliance of women’s sport.
New research from Public First, commissioned by Sky, found that 30 million people tuned into a women’s match in 2023. With an estimated 10 million additional sports fans expected over the next decade, the potential is vast, and the entire sector must work together to seize it.
Broadcasters like Sky Sports play a transformative role in this journey. Through investment, visibility, and a genuine commitment to growth, we are not just bringing sports to fans – we’re creating space for women to lead, inspire and transform sports culture. As the UK’s largest investor in women’s sport, Sky covered 70 per cent of all televised women’s sport last year.
Sky’s recently agreed landmark deal with the Women’s Professional League Ltd ensures that, starting from the 2025-26 season, we will broadcast nearly 90 per cent of all Women’s Super League matches live. Alongside fixtures from the Women’s Championship and Women’s League Cup, this brings all levels of the professional game to a broader audience. This partnership is not just a broadcast milestone – it’s a huge step forward for women’s football in the UK and Ireland.
We know that watching sport does more than entertain – it has a profound impact on participation. In Sky Sports research, 88 per cent of respondents agreed that watching female athletes on TV inspires young women to participate in sports.
Yet across all levels, from personal to professional, women continue to face barriers in sport. Young girls encounter these obstacles from an early age. According to the charity Women in Sport, 43 per cent of teenage girls who once considered themselves “sporty” disengage from sport after leaving primary school, citing anxiety, body image concerns, and fear as key factors. This poses a significant risk to the health and wellbeing of our society and hinders the potential to unlock future talent.
To continue growing women’s sport at a professional level, we must ensure that young girls have equal opportunities to find a sport they love – through schools, local clubs or grassroots initiatives.
That’s why Sky supports the Department for Education’s guidance advocating two hours of quality sports provision each week. The Labour government should use its ongoing review of the National Curriculum to establish this as a minimum requirement for PE in schools. The opportunity to play sport should be a right, not a privilege, and we are commited to expanding access. An additional hour of PE doubles the chance for children, particularly girls, to discover a sport they love.
Funding for grassroots sports is imperative. Sky Sports’ investments have contributed hundreds of millions to grassroots development over the past decade, but further reforms are essential. Schemes such as the Community Amateur Sports Club need increased financial flexibility to help local clubs capitalise on investments and maximize spending on grassroots participation, offering more routes to access.
Huge challenges remain for women who defy these early barriers and pursue professional careers in sport. Female athletes and pundits often face disproportionate discrimination and abuse online, with a recent survey suggesting almost a third of sportswomen experienced trolling on social media.
Research shows that almost half of UK adults agree that high quality coverage makes them feel more positively towards women’s sport. As the UK’s leading sports broadcaster, Sky Sports will continue to invest in and champion diversity across our presenting line ups.
However, we cannot level the playing field alone. The government must empower Ofcom to enforce – and, if necessary, strengthen – the Online Safety Act to ensure platforms actively combat discrimination and protect users from misogynistic content.
Women’s sport has made remarkable progress given years of underinvestment and inequality. But much more needs to be done to ensure it reaches its full potential. With two thirds of UK adults identifying as sports fans and contributing an estimated £10 billion to the UK economy last year, the necessary ingredients are already in place.
It’s now up to the entire sporting ecosystem to unlock its future, ensuring that sport becomes a platform where everyone can win.
Related
