Sky Sports Doubles Down on Women’s Football with Massive New Broadcast Deal

Image: Sky TV Press

By Jon Donnis

Sky just announced a huge new partnership with the Women's Professional League Ltd. (WPLL) that secures their place as the go-to network for women's football. Starting from the 2025/26 season, they'll be showing nearly 90% of all Women's Super League (WSL) games. This is a big jump from the current number of matches aired – we're talking 118 matches each season, with 78 of those shown exclusively on Sky.

Sky's new deal isn't just about quantity; it's also about quality. They'll have over 75% of the first-pick games, meaning fans can catch more of the season's best matchups every single week. Plus, Sky will have exclusive rights to show all the final weekend matches, keeping the season's big finish under one roof.

Sky's Group CEO, Dana Strong, is clearly thrilled about the partnership. According to her, this isn't just another sports deal – it's part of Sky's bigger plan to boost women's sports. She highlighted how the partnership lets Sky and the WPLL work together to pull in new fans, grow the game, and help make the Women's Super League one of the most competitive and entertaining women's leagues out there. And this is more than talk. With this deal, Sky is putting serious backing behind the sport, helping elevate the profiles of elite women athletes.

Another interesting part of the deal is that Sky now has the option to broadcast matches from the Women's Championship and the Women's League Cup, including the Final. This would mark a first for both competitions on Sky and promises even more coverage of women's football for fans.

Women's sport has been growing fast on Sky. In 2023 alone, they showed over 70% of all live televised women's sports in the UK. And for those into more than just football, Sky Sports also broadcasts a wide variety of top-tier women's sports, including England Cricket, The Hundred, women's golf majors, WTA tennis, netball, rugby league, and more.

This massive increase in WSL matches will actually overlap with Sky's new deal for the Premier League. Starting next season, they'll be airing at least 215 Premier League games, a whopping 70% increase in exclusive live coverage. With over 1,000 EFL matches also available and the biggest games from the SPFL and SWPL, Sky is expanding its reach across nearly every major league in the UK. And for fans, that means more chances than ever to watch their favorite teams play without leaving their couches.

Earlier this year, Sky also introduced Sky Sports+, giving customers access to 50% more sports content – at no additional cost. With this service, fans can dive into even more sports without having to pay extra, which is great news for viewers looking for variety and value.

Beyond just broadcasting games, Sky is committed to promoting the women's game across all its platforms. They're backing the WSL with dedicated marketing, production budgets, and even social media content on TikTok and Snapchat. This focus on social platforms is aimed at reaching younger and more diverse audiences, drawing even more eyes to the league.

In short, this new partnership is about more than just TV rights. It's about Sky doubling down on its commitment to women's sports and doing its part to bring women's football to as many people as possible. For fans of the Women's Super League and women's football in general, the future looks incredibly bright. With this kind of support from one of the biggest sports broadcasters around, there's every reason to believe the WSL will keep growing – and we'll be able to watch it all happen live.