Barclays is on the brink of doubling its investment in the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship, nearing a monumental sponsorship deal. Telegraph Sport reports that the bank is ready to grant approximately £9 million per season for the exclusive title sponsorship rights, nearly double the amount from the previous 2022-2025 agreement.
This new deal represents more than quadruple the original fee paid during Barclays' initial three-year sponsorship from 2019 to 2022.
The impending three-year sponsorship pact marks a significant stride for NewCo, the incoming organisation poised to take control of England's top two women's leagues from the Football Association (FA) this summer. According to SportsPro, NewCo aims to make both divisions commercially sustainable, and the Barclays extension is a significant milestone on that journey.
Back in 2021, when the FA announced Barclays' sponsorship extension from the 2022-23 season until the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign, it underscored the bank's £30 million investment in women's and girls' football. This investment encompassed the title sponsorship of the top two leagues as well as the bank’s broader contributions to the FA's Girls’ Football School Partnerships initiative, aimed at promoting equal access to football in schools.
Women’s Super League secures record £9m-a-season Barclays sponsorship deal
✍️ @TomJGarry#TelegraphWomensSport | #WSL— Telegraph Women’s Sport (@WomensSport) April 3, 2024
Initially hailed as a groundbreaking investment in UK women's sports, the deal was celebrated for its pivotal role in advancing the women’s game within the country. Sources within the WSL have informed the Telegraph Sport that the recent extension and substantial increase in rights fees mark another significant milestone for the sport.
This development comes after a noteworthy event in March 2024, coinciding with International Women’s Day, where a record-breaking 465,000 girls from 5,000 schools across England participated in the FA and Barclays’ football sessions as part of their Let Girls Play campaign.
The WSL stands as one of the fastest-growing soccer leagues globally, with England’s win at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 igniting record interest in the top flight and further down the domestic pyramid. Just last month, the WSL shattered its cumulative attendance record with six rounds of games still remaining.
Attention will now pivot to securing a substantial increase for the WSL’s next domestic media rights deal. The league’s current partnership with Sky Sports and the BBC, valued at a reported UK£8 million (US$10.1 million) per season, expires at the conclusion of 2023/24.
