History

The Rise of Women's Football: How the Game Changed Forever

From being banned for 50 years to selling out stadiums. The incredible growth story of women's football and where it's heading next.

By Michael O'Brien•10 min read•2026-03-10

A Game Once Banned

In 1921, the English FA banned women from playing on FA-affiliated pitches. The reason? "The game of football is quite unsuitable for females." This ban lasted until 1971 — fifty years of lost development that women's football is still recovering from.

The Modern Era Begins

1990s: Foundations

  • 1991: First FIFA Women's World Cup (USA wins)
  • Professional leagues begin in the US, Scandinavia
  • Still largely amateur in most countries
  • Attendance: hundreds, occasionally thousands

    • 2000s: Growing Pains

  • Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) collapses in the US
  • European clubs begin women's teams as CSR initiatives
  • Limited TV coverage and media attention
  • Player wages: many professionals earn minimum wage

    • 2010s: The Breakthrough Decade

  • 2015 World Cup (Canada): 1.35 billion TV viewers
  • 2019 World Cup (France): Sold-out stadiums, cultural moment
  • Major clubs invest seriously: Barcelona, Lyon, Chelsea
  • WSL becomes fully professional (2018)
  • First proper broadcast deals and sponsorships

    • 2020s: Explosion

  • Euro 2022 final: 87,192 at Wembley (record)
  • 2023 World Cup: Most-watched women's sporting event ever
  • Barcelona vs Real Madrid: 91,553 at Camp Nou
  • WSL average attendance grows from 1,000 to 6,000+
  • Player wages rise dramatically (top players earning £200,000+/year)

    • Why It's Growing So Fast

    1. Visibility

    Broadcast deals mean people can actually watch. What you can see, you can aspire to. Young girls now have role models.

    2. Club Investment

    When Barcelona, Chelsea, and Lyon invest millions, the quality rises. Better facilities, coaching, and recruitment produce better football.

    3. Social Media

    Players build direct connections with fans. Sam Kerr, Alexia Putellas, and Aitana Bonmatí have millions of followers.

    4. Corporate Sponsorship

    Nike, Adidas, and Visa invest billions because the audience demographics are attractive — younger, more engaged, growing.

    5. Institutional Support

    FIFA mandating women's teams for licensing, equal prize money campaigns, and governance reforms all accelerate growth.

    Current Challenges

    Wage Gap

    While growing, wages remain fraction of men's game:

    LevelMen's (Top League)Women's (Top League)
    Average£60,000/week£3,000/week
    Top players£300,000+/week£10,000-15,000/week

    Infrastructure

  • Many women's teams still don't have dedicated facilities
  • Youth development systems are underfunded
  • Coaching quality varies enormously between clubs and countries

    • Injuries

    ACL injuries occur at 3-6x the rate in women's football compared to men's. Research into prevention and recovery is still catching up.

    Depth of Competition

    While the top clubs are excellent, the gap between the best and worst in women's leagues remains large. This affects competitive balance and viewer interest.

    What's Next?

    Short Term (2024-2026)

  • Further broadcast deal expansion
  • More clubs becoming financially sustainable
  • FIFA Women's Club World Cup launches
  • Continued attendance growth

    • Medium Term (2027-2030)

  • First women's football billionaire deal?
  • Potential for standalone women's leagues (not under men's club structures)
  • Full-time professional leagues in 20+ countries
  • Closing of quality gap between top and mid-tier nations

    • Long Term (2030+)

  • Women's football as mainstream entertainment
  • Academy systems producing world-class players from age 7
  • Equal investment (proportional to revenue) across all clubs
  • The question "why should we watch women's football?" becomes as absurd as asking why we watch tennis or athletics

    • Key Players Driving the Change

  • Alexia Putellas (Barcelona): Two-time Ballon d'Or winner, face of the European game
  • Sam Kerr (Chelsea): Global superstar, opened doors in multiple markets
  • Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona): The current best player in the world
  • Lindsey Horan (Lyon/USWNT): Bridging the US-Europe divide
  • Keira Walsh (Barcelona): Record transfer (€400,000) that shifted market expectations

    • Conclusion

    Women's football isn't growing — it's exploding. The combination of better investment, visibility, talent development, and cultural acceptance is creating a positive feedback loop that accelerates growth. The next decade will determine whether the sport achieves true mainstream status — and all signs point to yes.

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