As women’s football grows increasingly popular among younger gens in the U.K., a new report shows the industry could be worth £500m by 2033. 

As women’s football grows increasingly popular among younger gens in the U.K., a new report shows the industry could be worth £500m by 2033. Interest in women’s sports has surged over the past two years for the first time in decades (or ever), with viewership at an all-time high and live matches selling out—and even moving to bigger stadiums. While all female sports are getting more attention, the 2022 European Women’s Football Championship (or “the Euros”) put women’s football in the spotlight. The final match drew a record-breaking TV audience of 17 million viewers, making it the biggest television event of the year to date in the U.K. as viewers watched England’s team The Lionesses win. Now, a report from the Uefa report says that as women’s football draws a “younger and more diverse audience than the male equivalent,” its worth could grow to half a billion pounds in just 10 years, a staggering sixfold increase on its current value. Sponsorship is the fastest growing revenue stream, but the support of younger gens will contribute, too: the study found that Gen Z bought around a third of the record-breaking Euro 2022 tickets, and that one in three women’s football fans are entirely new to the game, raising hopes that this generation will become major sports fans. (The Independent)