2025 European Championships could open a new financial frontier for women’s football?

England’s 2023 World Cup Run Fuels the 2025 European Women’s Championship

In 2023, England’s Women’s team lifted the nation to their first World Cup final, cementing a legacy that will echo through the 2025 Women’s European Championships. The Championships promise to be the biggest Euros yet, thanks to a decade of rapid growth in the women’s game.

Decade‑Long Surge Transforms Quality and Professionalism

• Enhanced training programs and tactical sophistication raise match quality.
• Greater professionalism attracts sponsors and advertisers, accelerating revenue streams.

Women’s Football Becomes Global Business

By 2024, women’s football sport dominated worldwide earnings, generating approximately €500 million (£428 million) annually. This represents over 45 % of the total revenue pool for all female sports.

2025 Euros as a Financial Gamechanger

International tournaments act as financial catalysts for the women’s sport. The 2025 Euros could be the next milestone, propelling the UK’s women’s game to unprecedented heights.

Commercial Finance Expert Insight

Stuart Wilkie of Anglo Scottish shares numbers explaining how the Championships will influence sponsorship, media rights, and long‑term growth.

Euro 2025 – the numbers

UEFA Elevates Women’s Soccer with Record Prize Pool

The latest competition marks a watershed moment for the women’s game, thanks to an unprecedented surge in financial rewards. €41 m (€35.1 m) of prize money has been earmarked across the tournament, reflecting a staggering 156 % rise over the 2022 edition’s €16 m (€13.7 m). Every national side will receive a guaranteed €1.8 m, while the champion stands to claim up to €5.1 m.

Club Compensation Continues to Climb

UEFA’s payments to clubs for releasing players to the international fixture are also on an upward trajectory. The fee will move from €500 (€428) per player per day to €657 (€562).

Commitment to Growth

“The tournament’s expansion underscores the resources UEFA is dedicating to the women’s game,” said Wilkie. “By 2030, they’ve pledged to invest €1 bn (€856 m) in developing and growing the sport, which will open doors for more women and girls than ever before.”

International tournament broadcast growth

Global Viewership Surge Signals Record‑Breaking Women’s Football Tournament

Media rights revenue for this year’s women’s championship has already surpassed €85 million (£72.7 million), marking a 142% jump compared to the prior edition.

Attendance Milestones

• In 2022, the tournament drew a worldwide live audience of over 365 million viewers, more than doubling the 2017 figure of 178 million.
• Thirty‑four European public broadcasters have secured rights to broadcast the event this season, guaranteeing free‑to‑air access even in smaller markets.

Sporting Growth and Economic Impact

Women’s football has reached an unprecedented level of prestige on the international stage. The combination of increased sponsorship revenue and prize money underscores that any reduction in this year’s figures would be deemed a failure.

Expert Commentary

Wilkie notes that the tournament is poised to reach a wider audience than ever before. “The stakes are higher and viewership is trending positively,” he says. “The product itself has improved, as evidenced by the explosive rise in the number of professional women players across Europe over the last decade.”

Domestic broadcasting and sponsorship

Championships Climb

On the national level, recent developments signal a surge.

Women’s Super League Breaks Ground

Last year, the Women’s Super League, the female counterpart of the Premier League, signed its biggest‑ever broadcast deal, activation this season.

Broadcast Leasing Overview

• Sky and BBC jointly hold rights, totaling about £65m over five seasons.
• Deal expectation: 100% increase over the previous barter, which yielded £7m‑£8m annually.

Sponsor Spotlight

• Barclays renewed its title sponsorship in September 2024, a 3‑season pact worth £45m.
• Designated as the largest trio in women’s domestic football.

In the stands and on the screen

White‑Gold Wings of Women’s Football

Audience Decline

• 35% year‑on‑year drop in WSL broadcast viewers after the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 win and the 2023 World Cup final run.
• The 2023 season was the first since 2021 that did not immediately follow a major international tournament—highlighting the domestic league’s heavy reliance on global events.

Attendance Wanes

• 10% attendance decline over the most‑recent campaign compared with the previous year.
• Deloitte’s Sports Business Group linked the lack of international attention to the diminished draw on the domestic game.

International Relevance

“All evidence points toward the international game acting as a massive driver of domestic women’s football,” Wilkie states. “A strong outing from the Lionesses at Euro 2025 could dramatically boost viewership at home, in‑person attendance, and grassroots football enterprises.”

The grassroots game

Women’s football in the UK: turning an audience slump into a cultural surge

Even though ticket sales are slipping year‑on‑year, women’s football is steadily becoming a mainstream cultural touchstone across the UK.

Olympic‑style watershed: the Lionesses Euro 2022 win

Britain’s Euro 2022 triumph has proven a landmark moment for the national viewership. More than 30 % of the audience revealed an interest in women’s football either during that tournament or in the following World Cup.

Grassroots explosion: the FA’s 56 % participation rise

According to FA statistics, the number of women and girls playing football in the UK jumped by 56 % after Euro 2022. The statistic points to a huge growth potential for businesses willing to invest in grassroots development.

Social‑media buzz: excitement builds even as broadcast audiences recede

• World‑wide social‑media engagement for women’s football continues to climb.
• The Women’s Super League (WSL) is tapping high‑growth platforms—especially TikTok—to reach younger demographics and those interested in other women’s sports.
• These digital strategies are counterbalancing a broader decline in traditional broadcast viewership.

The combination of television breakthroughs, grassroots expansion, and digital‑platform dominance signals a pivotal shift: women’s football is not only thriving on the pitch but also carving its place in the broader cultural conversation.

What does this mean for the 2025 European Championships?

Projected Surge in Women’s Football

Wilkie summarizes the outlook: “All the evidence points to sustained expansion of women’s football.” He notes that while domestic match attendance and television viewership still hinge on international tournaments to spur growth, a rising cadre of professional players and a widening grassroots network signal that long‑term growth mechanisms are solidifying.

Key Observations

• Domestic Attendance: Local league crowds remain modest, reliant on the prestige of global competitions for momentum.
• Professional Participation: Nations continue to welcome more women into full‑time roles, indicating a professional backbone is forming.
• Grassroots Infrastructure: Youth academies, community clubs, and development programs are expanding, laying a foundation for sustained growth.

International Dynamics

Wilkie adds: “Spain appears to be the favourite among bookmakers, but a robust performance from England, coached by Sarina Wiegman, would generate substantial support for women’s football across the United Kingdom.” He believes that such a success would trigger a noticeable surge in popularity and revenue streams throughout the region.

Future Trajectories

Ultimately, the data illustrates a consistent upward trajectory: “Everything points toward continued growth.” With England slated to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup, the focus shifts from “if” to “when” the sport will make its next significant leap.