Three-quarters (40m) UK adults now follow women’s sport, with women’s football attracting interest from 20m, making it the nation’s most-followed women’s sport.
The survey finds that half (51%) of UK brits feel more positive towards brands that sponsor women’s sports, rising to around two-thirds of young adults (63%) and high-income earners (66%).
Better yet. Fans don’t just want to watch, they’re willing to spend.
One in three fans are up for subscribing to a dedicated TV service to watch women’s sport, and 16% would support individual athletes or teams through exclusive content.
Despite this enthusiasm, nearly a third of fans (29%) can’t name a single sponsor of women’s sport, highlighting that brand awareness and engagement remains very low.
Fans also feel there’s a lack of female athletes as brand ambassadors, with a quarter saying there are not enough.
Fans are clear, however, that they want to see brands be more visible in women’s sports.
Two fifths (38%) want to see sponsors champion gender equality in sport, while 30% want investment in grassroots and local communities, and 28% seek long-term, visible commitments.
Social media remains an under-tapped engagement channel: 43% follow athletes and teams to stay informed, 40% do so to show support, and 27% seek community connection.
But to connect, brands must re-evaluate content strategies. Nearly half of fans (49%) say they want more behind-the-scenes and personality-driven content.
Two-fifths want to see athletes’ humour and real lives, indicating an opportunity for brands that build more authentic, relatable storytelling around the women’s game.Ellie Moss, strategy partner, Havas Play UK: “Fans follow personality, so no wonder they’re backing this new roster of sporting talents who are not only top-tier athletes but digital natives and brilliant storytellers building highly marketable personal brands to sustain their careers. Just look at Ilona Maher, Doriane Pin or Keely Hodgkinson.
If more brands act now, in ten years time we could see a fully funded, thriving commercial ecosystem with globally celebrated athletes and equal media and sponsorship share. For brands, this is a rare chance to lead culture, tell richer stories, and build lasting relevance. But they must act while it’s still affordable, as the momentum will only accelerate.”Havas Play UK will release a new report on 9/07/25 exploring what the future of women’s sport could look like in 2035 if its full commercial potential is recognised and how brands can get involved now to tap into these significant opportunities.
