Quo Vadis, Women’s Football?

Sascha L. Schmidt / Dominik Schreyer / Julian Hadwiger - August 28, 2024

In recent years, women’s football in Europe has seen remarkable growth, largely driven by prominent integrated clubs like Arsenal Women FC, FC Barcelona Femení, and Paris Saint-Germain, which have recently achieved record attendances. Certain leagues, such as England’s Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL), Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga, and Spain’s Liga F have also experienced a significant increase in spectator interest. And even when looking abroad, major international events, such as the 2022 UEFA Women’s Championship in England and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, have also set new records for attendance and television demand. 

This rising demand is attracting investors and sponsors, indicating the sport’s growing commercial potential. And governing bodies are drafting new policies to better integrate all-female teams into established clubs, positioning women’s football for continued development.

Too good to be true?

This growth does not, however, tell the full story. Record attendance is often concentrated among a few clubs, and overall interest in women’s football remains much lower than interest in men’s football. In the UK, for example, women’s football attracts about 20% of the attendance seen in English Premier League (EPL) clubs, with Arsenal London WFC alone accounting for 35% of all women’s football tickets. Financially, the gap is even greater, with EPL clubs generating around £6B annually compared to WSL’s £48M. Many integrated clubs view women’s football as a secondary business rather than a core operation, impacting financial sustainability and causing pay disparity.

Quo vadis, women’s football?

Women’s football stands at a crossroads. It can either continue growing alongside men’s teams or adopt innovative rules and formats to attract new audiences. New formats, such as the King’s League and Baller League show promise, though their long-term success remains uncertain.

Key questions arise: Will women’s football remain an extension of men’s teams or evolve into its own distinct competition? Can it become a sustainable business? How will it differ from men’s football, and where can synergy be effectively utilized?

Eighty-four experts peer into the future

To explore the future of women’s football, researchers from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management conducted an online Delphi study between May and June 2024 that involved 84 experts from ten different countries. Using this established method, the study engaged this panel of key stakeholders, including football associations, clubs, media, sponsors, academic researchers, and fan representatives. The industry experts evaluated 14 projections that considered the impact of fans, partners, innovations, and financial and organizational changes on women’s football in Germany by 2031.  

Up, up, and away!

Experts agree that women’s football is on a growth trajectory, marked by four key trends. The study’s second projection, for example, states that professional women’s football in Germany has a 67% probability of occurrence of tripling its fan reach. Another predicts a tripling of sponsorship value (Projection #06, 68% probability of occurence). A high degree of synergy is expected from integrated clubs (Projection #13, 73%), and it is likely that all first-division players in Germany will earn a professional income (Projection #14, 75%). These projections suggest substantial growth in fan engagement, sponsorship, and professional opportunities.

There is still untapped potential

Experts identified four potential differentiators for women’s football: possible growth investments (Projection #05, 63%) and new entertainment formats or matchday experiences (Projections #01, 59%; and #11, 58%). However, there is skepticism concerning sports coverage, i.e., the likelihood that reporting in the media will become more gender equal (Projection #03, 32%), as well as the introduction of a playoff system or a pan-European league (Projections #09, 28% and #10, 40%).

Not all change is good

While experts see the chance for growth, they also identified potential changes with questionable benefits. There is no consensus on whether the televised experience of women’s football will differ from men’s football (Projection #04, 46%), and experts suggest that investments might be better used elsewhere. Additionally, alongside the aforementioned skepticism regarding playoff systems and a pan-European league, the use of wearables (Projection #12, 59%) is seen as unlikely and undesired.

A powerful game changer and an unpopular trajectory 

Two projections deviate from the overall trend. Experts agree that it is unlikely that sports reportage will become more gender equal (Projection #03, 32%), despite that being an important factor for future growth. Additionally, integrated clubs are expected to crowd out independent women’s clubs in German professional football (Projection #07, 76%), a highly undesired outcome.

So, what does this all mean?

The research shows that while integrated women’s teams can benefit from positive spillover effects, they need to develop their own identity and revenue streams to thrive. If the enthusiasm of our experts is any guide, the future of women’s football looks bright, provided the sport navigate these challenges effectively.

Literature reference and methodology

This Delphi-based study has been made possible with the financial support and collaboration of several highly committed partners, including Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, DAZN, Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB), S20, and VfL Wolfsburg. The researchers drew upon the partners’ expertise at several workshops during the projection formulation stage. None of these partners, however, influenced or attempted to influence the interpretation or presentation of the study’s empirical results.

The Delphi method is a well-established technique for structuring group communication processes. It assumes a future-oriented perspective and facilitates an assessment of how likely it is that certain developments (e.g., in the sports industry) will occur. The Center for Sports and Management at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management has gained substantial experience in conducting Delphi-based studies, both for academic outlets and the public press.

This article is based upon the following study:

Schmidt, S. L./Hadwiger, J./Schreyer, D. (2024): Football but better? Professional Women’s Football in Germany by 2031. WHU: Düsseldorf/Vallendar. 

Download the full study here.