Women’s football to reach 800m fans by 2030
Women’s football is set to have a fanbase of 800m fans by the end of the decade, according to new research.
A Nielsen Sports and PepsiCo report claims the global women’s fanbase is projected to grow by 38 per cent, from 500m fans to over 800m fans by 2030.
The move would push women’s football into the top five global-most sports while 60 per cent of those fans would be female.
“We have long believed in the potential of women’s football, and today, we’re no longer just tracking progress, we’re witnessing a breakthrough,” said Samanth Lamberti, head of international at Nielsen Sports.
“From media rights to sponsorship and fan engagement, this is no longer a case of future promise but present value.”
While 50 per cent of current fans are aged 25-44 and 47 per cent of fans are top earners, it is expected that women’s football will continue to be a female-heavy fanbase, while there’s a projected 30 per cent broadcast audience growth by the end of the decade.
There has been growth of 15 per cent over the last two years in the UK, while that figure drops to 10 per cent in the United States. It rises, however, to 22 per cent in Switzerland, who are hosting this summer’s Women’s Euros.
New women’s football markets
But it is away from some of the traditional markets where the largest proportion of national citizens are women’s football fans.
India, Brazil and Mexico are all above the 30 per cent mark while the United Arab Emirates and Colombia are closer to 50 per cent.
Jane Wakely of PepsiCo added: “At PepsiCo, we see women’s football as more than just a sport, it’s a cultural force with the power to connect, inspire and grow our brands.
“As a business, we’re proud to partner with Uefa Women’s Football, the Fifa Women’s World Cup, the WNBA and leading athletes across the world, because we know these platforms unlock powerful passion points for an increasingly engaged and influential audience.”