“Women’s Football Transformed” – NewCo ready to propel women’s professional football in the UK

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Image credit: Kyle Hemsley

Last November, the English Football Association (FA) revealed it would no longer be running the English Women’s Super League (WSL) and English Women’s Championship, handing the reins to a newly-formed independent organisation, NewCo.

Relatively unknown and tipped for a name-change, NewCo is led by Canadian-born CEO Nikki Doucet, a former General Manager for Nike UK/Ireland who is well versed in the world of finance and sport.

Slowly but surely, the football world is learning more about the company, its CEO, and its plans to propel the WSL and Championship to new heights.

In a statement outlining NewCo’s vision, CEO Nikki Doucet stated the company “will be a revenue-generating, for profit, standalone entity with a professional and dedicated management team.”

The 24 member clubs of the WSL and Championship will be recognised as shareholders of the organisation.

Further to this, Doucet expressed her gratitude for the FA’s role in building professional football for women, and NewCo’s intent for the future.

“They [the FA] have belief in the women’s game and have funded the proof of concept for women’s football in this country and now we’re at a stage where it’s set up to be a standalone entity to capitalise on the growth and opportunity in front of us,” she explained via the FA website.

The WSL’s primary sponsor, Barclays, is halfway through its £30 million ($58 million AUD) investment deal in women’s football that will end in 2025.

Whilst it is NewCo’s desire to maintain relationships with existing sponsors like Barclays, there is an expectation to attract new investment

Media speculation suggests that the Premier League has approved a loan of £20 million ($38 million AUD), that will be repayable once NewCo records £100 million in annual revenue ($193 million AUD).

Speaking to Sky News, Premier League Chief Richard Masters stated that if approved, the loan would symbolise an important relationship between the top tiers of men’s and women’s football in the UK.

The loan will also breathe confidence into clubs, of which some have called for league restructuring to alleviate financial pressure.

NewCo shut down speculation over the potential for the WSL to become a closed league in January, re-stating its “100%” commitment to promotion and relegation between the top two tiers.

Talks over broadcasting rights for the WSL and Championship are also underway, with existing deals between Sky Sports and the BBC concluding at the end of the 23/24 season.

At the conclusion of the 22/23 WSL season, research driven by the Women’s Sport Trust (WST) showed a 36% season–on–season increase in match viewership in the UK.

Given this major increase in viewership, and popularity of women’s football generally, one expects that Sky Sports and the BBC will renegotiate a new deal.

Likely competitors will be TNT (formerly BT Sport), and streaming service Amazon Prime, who have dipped their toes in the water with Premier League coverage in the past two seasons.

Whether a new deal will affect international viewership, particularly in Australia via streaming platform Optus Sport, remains to be known. However, Doucet has made it clear that increasing its audience network is a key goal.

“Reach and revenue is the thing that we’re trying to figure out,” she told reporters.

“I think, more than anything, it should just be as easy as possible for fans to be able to watch the league or the team or the player that they want to watch. How we can do that is what we’re exploring.”

League breakaways, particularly those in favour of profit-driven, independently-run entities, are often fraught with controversy across football’s many sub-sectors.

However, in keeping with the transparent and widely forward-thinking approach of women’s football, NewCo’s takeover of the WSL and Championship could take the development of professional women’s football to the next level.

Women’s football transformed is the tagline underpinning NewCo’s vision for the WSL and Championship, and Doucet offers no shortage in imagination for what it hopes to achieve.

“In 10 years from now, I hope you’re asking me questions around things like how do I get off the waiting list for tickets to WSL games, so we’ll have stadiums at top capacity, all the top players wanting to come here,” she proclaimed.

“I want to be answering questions around elite female athlete health and how that has transformed ‘high street’ physiotherapy. I want you to look at an all-female team and the first thing that goes through your head is “wow, that’s a high performing team’ with no hesitation.”

Further announcements about NewCo’s plans will be eagerly anticipated, as the current WSL and Championship seasons’ near their conclusion.

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Two NPL VIC clubs receive funding boost from State Budget

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Image credit: Football Victoria

Following the announcement of the 2026 Victoria State Budget, Avondale FC and Hume City FC will both receive major backing for facility upgrades.

 

Valuable support for future projects

Avondale and Hume City now have immensely valuable financial support for infrastructure and facility upgrade projects.

Avondale will see an injection of $500,000 for lighting developments at its home ground, Avenger Park. Meanwhile, Hume City FC, will receive $250,000 to further improve its home ground, Nasiol Stadium, which opened in 2009.

Both clubs expressed their delight at the funding from the State Labor Government, and what the backing may bring to club facilities and overall development going forward.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Victorian Government and Sheena Watt for their support through this $500,000 lighting upgrade investment, which will have a lasting impact on our players, families and the wider Avondale community,” said Avondale Club President, Stephen Strano.

“We have hundreds of players across all age groups utilising these facilities each week, and these improvements will help create an even strong environment for excellence, participation, and community engagement,” outlined Hume City President, Ersan Gülüm.

As a result of these respective investments, both NPL VIC outfits appear set for incredibly opportunities to modernise, develop and strengthen their club infrastructure.

 

Lighting the path to a brighter future

The investments will see features such as lighting upgrades improve facility access for men’s and women’s teams, and LED scoreboards become part of a more modern matchday experiences going forward.

For both clubs, however, lighting upgrades are about more than keeping a pitch open late at night. Improved lighting is a means to a more accessible and supportive future in which both the men’s and women’s teams can utliise local facilities, and matchdays can take place in the excitement of playing ‘under the lights’.

And as Football Victoria CEO, Dan Birrell, highlighted, the improvements made to club facilities are benchmarks for the wider Victorian football community.

“Both Avondale and Hume City are pillars in the Victorian football landscape,” Birrell stated via press release.

“Professional level facilities like Avenger Park and Nasiol Stadium are critical for the development of Victorian football and Football Victoria welcomes the news that they will continue to improve thanks to the support of the Victorian State Government.”

 

More must follow

While the investments from the State Government come as welcome updates for these two clubs, there is still plenty more to be done to evenly develop facilities and infrastructure across Victoria’s football landscape.

Indeed, Avondale FC and Hume City FC are two fantastic community clubs who will no doubt put the funding towards impactful improvements.

But there are plenty more who still need external backing to build infrastructure not just for now, but for future seasons to come.

Football Community Supports Ange Goutzioulis Following MND Diagnosis

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

At just 52 years old, former National Soccer League player Ange Goutzioulis stood in front of a packed room at the Chisholm United launch night in Oakleigh and spoke about something no one ever expects to hear: a diagnosis of Motor Neuron Disease.

But rather than retreat into silence, Goutzioulis chose to speak openly. He spoke not just about the disease itself, but about the reality of living with it, the uncertainty ahead and why awareness matters more than ever.

 

Early stages

For years, football was part of Goutzioulis’ identity. Coaching, movement and routine were all things that once felt natural. Then slowly, something changed.

“I couldn’t even stand properly… I was losing my balance,” he explained.

At first, the signs were confusing rather than alarming. A couple of falls. Difficulty moving. Hospital visits and tests.

“They said, ‘You haven’t got cancer, you haven’t got MS and you haven’t got MND,’” he recalled.

But the symptoms continued worsening. Eventually, further neurological testing revealed the diagnosis: Motor Neuron Disease (MND).

The confirmation came quickly.

“They called it after two or three minutes… they saw the machines and basically said, ‘Yeah, you’ve got MND.’”

The shock was immediate.

So too was the reality.

 

Understanding Motor Neuron Disease

Motor Neuron Disease is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the nerves controlling movement, gradually taking away the ability to walk, speak, swallow and eventually breathe.

There is currently no cure.

For many Australians, awareness of MND remains limited until it touches someone close to them. Goutzioulis now finds himself confronting not only the physical decline, but the emotional weight of understanding what lies ahead.

“There’s no way to stop it… it’s going to kill me,” he said honestly.

Even breakthrough treatments tomorrow, he acknowledged, may come too late for him personally.

Yet despite the enormity of that reality, his focus has already shifted beyond himself.

 

Fighting for awareness while fighting the disease

What stood out throughout the evening was not despair, but resilience.

Goutzioulis spoke candidly about refusing to surrender mentally to the disease. Against medical advice centred around conserving energy and managing fatigue, he continues trying to stay active.

“I keep walking,” he said.

“I’ve got a theory in life that if you work out and keep moving, maybe [your] muscles won’t waste away as quick.”

Whether medically proven or not, the mentality reflects something deeper: a refusal to let MND define every remaining moment.

There was also optimism in the small victories.

Doctors believe he may have already been living with the disease for three years — longer than expected given his current condition.

“That’s a positive,” he said. “So, I’ll take it day by day.”

Image Credit: One Nil Media

Football’s power beyond the pitch

The event itself quickly transformed from a club launch into something more profound: a reminder of football’s ability to rally around people during their hardest moments.

As speakers addressed the room, one message became clear — Goutzioulis is not facing this battle alone.

“There’s probably 100 people here,” said Bill Kosmopoulos, who was hosting the discussion,

“I guarantee there’s 100 people cheering for you, 100 people that would do anything to find a solution for MND.”

In community football, conversations are usually dominated by results, signings, tactics and ambition. But nights like this reveal another side of the game entirely.

Connection.

Humanity.

Support.

By speaking publicly, Goutzioulis gave a deeply confronting disease a human face. Not statistics. Not headlines. A person. A father. A football figure. Someone trying to process what it means to slowly lose control of their own body while still showing up for the people around them.

That vulnerability is precisely why awareness matters.

Because awareness drives conversation.

Conversation drives funding.

And funding drives research that could one day change outcomes for future families facing the same diagnosis.

Image Credit: One Nil Media

“We’re behind you”

As the night closed, the room rose behind him.

Showing admiration for someone willing to confront unimaginable news publicly in the hope it helps others understand the devastating reality of MND.

“On behalf of everyone… thank you so much mate,” one speaker told him.

“We’re behind you.”

Support and raising awareness for the disease is what matters.

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