Credit: Insider Sport
Following England’s consecutive Women’s Euros triumphs, the Women’s National League (WNL) is seizing the moment to accelerate development at the third and fourth tiers of the domestic game. The league has unveiled a three-year strategy, “Where Our Game Grows,” covering 2025–2028, aimed at boosting commercial sustainability, visibility, and fan engagement across its clubs.
From International Success to Domestic Impact
The Women’s Euros 2025 was a historic milestone, delivering $149.3 million (€128m) in revenue, record-breaking attendance, and high-profile partnerships with global brands like Visa, Pepsi, and Amazon. While the tournament elevated the women’s game nationally, the challenge now lies in translating that success into long-term growth at the lower tiers.
Tammy Parlour MBE, co-founder and CEO of the Women’s Sport Trust, told Insider Sport:
“These big international moments are massive accelerants for growth across the industry. Historically, those leaps in visibility and viewership have been around international moments, particularly in football.”
The WNL sits just below the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, serving as a bridge between grassroots football and the professional ranks. This is where commercial resources are limited, fanbases are still developing, and financial fragility is most acute.
Strategy Overview: Environment, People, Impact, Commercial
The “Where Our Game Grows” framework is structured around four pillars: Environment, People, Impact, and Commercial, reinforced by commitments to diversity, safeguarding, female health, facilities, and technology.
- Environment & People: Focus on raising club standards, nurturing pathways for players, referees, coaches, and volunteers, and improving access to quality facilities.
- Impact: Targeting 45% fan awareness by 2028, the league aims to elevate visibility through coordinated marketing, media engagement, and celebration of on-field role models. High-profile competitions, such as the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, will spotlight WNL clubs, while club-level initiatives in social media, matchday promotions, and community engagement will further amplify impact.
- Commercial: Building a structured portfolio of partners, including a lead partner and supporting sponsors, to create scalable, sustainable revenue streams. The WNL is aligning commercial agreements with club needs, fostering partnerships that empower women, reflect league values, and drive inclusivity.
Club-Led Initiatives: Worcester City Women
While the WNL provides a league-wide framework, individual clubs are already demonstrating innovative approaches to growth. Nicole Allison, owner and CEO of Worcester City Women, highlighted the importance of financial independence from men’s clubs:
“We can’t just be reliant on handouts from our men’s team. That isn’t the right way to do things.”
Worcester City Women have focused on attendance growth, ticket sales, and local sponsorships. Partnerships with companies like Open GI, headquartered in Worcester, include activations such as hospitality, ticket giveaways, and charity tournaments. For Allison, these collaborations are more than financial; they are aligned with shared values, community pride, and long-term sustainability.
365247 Media Insight
The WNL’s strategy reflects a pivotal shift in women’s football: leveraging international success to drive commercial stability, grassroots engagement, and sustainable growth at the lower tiers. By combining league-wide initiatives with club-led innovation, the third and fourth tiers are positioned not just as feeder leagues, but as thriving ecosystems capable of supporting the long-term development of the women’s game.
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