The appetite for women’s football in the UK seems to be growing, thanks in no small part to the decision to move coverage of games not shown on linear TV to YouTube. Per The Guardian, numbers are up threefold from last season when fans had to use the extremely clunky FA Player to watch the games. After the first three matchdays, total live views had cleared 1.5 million.
I wrote previously tha the league could have its WNBA moment. This weekend was a big test as there was almost no top-tier men’s club football, which often clashes with the WSL, due to the international break. Saturday’s Arsenal vs Chelsea clash currently has 368,000 views. The increased accessibility has helped viewership make huge strides forward.
It’s also worth noting that the Women’s Champions League is available for free on DAZN. Those rights will soon become available, as the deal ends in 2025. Interestingly, for the first two seasons, the broadcaster also showed the games on its YouTube channel, showing the power of that platform to bring in viewers.
This all leads nicely to the women’s Euros next summer, which is going to be shown in the UK on the BBC and ITV. It will though be interesting to see how long these platforms are willing to offer so much for free…
With Arsenal faltering and Man City and Chelsea starting strongly, with Liverpool also impressing, all these new fans might be tuning into one of the most open seasons in a while. You can watch WSL games for free on the Barclays WSL YouTube Channel.
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