WSL eyeing enormous 150% increase to broadcast rights deal

In a historic first for football in the UK, every single Women’s Super League match is set to be broadcasted live from next season across multiple channels.

The WSL tender document issued to broadcasters this month features all 132 league games, with 56 to be sold exclusively and the remaining 76 available on a non-exclusive basis.

Under the terms of the existing deal that expires at the end of the current season, Sky broadcast 35 matches-a-season and the BBC 22, with the rest streamed for free on the FA’s website.

The tender document is asking for a huge £20 million ($38.48 million) a year TV deal and this 150% increase to the value of its broadcasting deal is far from surprising following the explosion of the women’s game. This figure is set to be confirmed as soon as they can find the right suitors.

In an attempt to gain an increase from the existing £7.75 million ($14.91 million) a year deal, the WSL have responded by making every match available for broadcast, which the league hoped would attract bids from beyond current rights holders Sky Sports and the BBC, It looks to be working.

Sky Sports and the BBC are set to bid again on the rights and extend the current partnership whilst it is said that this potential deal is also attracting networks like TNT Sports and DAZN.

The Premier League and EFL have stood firm on the UEFA blackout that suggests all 3pm Saturday matches are not shown on TV, to encourage locals to attend matches in person. This means the WSL will have to work around it and it is likely that Saturday lunchtime and Sunday afternoons remain as the most common kick-off times.

There is little the WSL are having to do to persuade broadcasters into putting their hands up for these rights, which is a testament to the sport’s current growth and upward trajectory it is trending towards.

FA Director of Women’s football, Kelly Simmons, explained how important it was to secure this monumental broadcast deal.

“While we’ve been developing this it’s been so hard to sit on it because it’s so exciting for the women’s game. It is transformational,” Simmons said in an interview with Guardian Sport.

“When I first came into this role, we said that we really thought women’s football could really break into the mainstream and this is mainstream, this is prime slots on television, big audiences, week in week out.”

This deal in particular launches women’s football into the mainstream and helps improve the quality of the product which goes a long way to opening the eyes of a huge audience to its impact as a sport and socially.

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How James Johnson Is Shaping Canada Soccer’s Billion-Dollar World Cup Commercial Future

Canada Soccer has confirmed a renewed long-term commercial agreement with Canadian Soccer Media and Entertainment, marking a significant reset in the federation’s revenue strategy as the country prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The updated partnership extends CSME’s control of Canada Soccer’s commercial rights, including sponsorship, broadcast and media licensing, while introducing revised financial terms designed to provide the federation with greater long-term revenue certainty and growth potential. The agreement replaces a previous deal that faced heavy scrutiny from players and stakeholders over concerns surrounding commercial valuation and distribution of revenues.

CSME, led by Group Chief Executive James Johnson, played a central role in renegotiating the structure, which aims to better align commercial returns with the sport’s accelerating domestic and international profile. The revised framework is expected to support increased investment across national team programs, commercial development and broader football growth initiatives.

The agreement arrives at a pivotal moment for Canadian football, with momentum building across both men’s and women’s programs and global attention increasing ahead of 2026. Securing a more sustainable commercial model is viewed as critical to ensuring the federation can maximise opportunities generated by hosting football’s largest tournament.

The renewed partnership also signals a shift toward long-term commercial planning, providing Canada Soccer with a more stable financial platform as it looks to strengthen its competitive standing and expand participation nationwide.

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