Kicking Off the Super League ⚽

Women’s sports are booming around the globe, and the Women’s Super League is the perfect example. The WSL has been breaking attendance and viewership records in the past few years, and TOGETHXR is proud to expand our coverage across the pond to cover some of the best soccer players in the world. The 2024-2025 season is bigger and better than ever, with Chelsea looking to defend its title.

We’ve partnered with the UK’s most prominent women’s football platform and creative agency, She’s A Baller (SAB), to bring you our first WSL preview with all the information you need ahead of the league’s 12th season.

She’s A Baller

In 2019, SAB recognized women's football's development, potential, and trajectory and created a platform dedicated to promoting the women’s game, educating audiences, and partnering with like-minded brands.  

 

Five years later, SAB is now the UK’s largest independent women’s football publisher and a highly respected media agency working with global brands. SAB champions the women’s game from grassroots right up to elite.

What is the WSL? 💭

For our U.S. fans who might not be familiar with the WSL yet, the Women’s Super League is one of the top leagues in Europe for women’s football. The league launched in 2011 with eight teams but has since expanded to include 12 teams. Each team will play all the other squads twice (home and away) for a total of 22 matches in the season. 

The team with the best record at the season’s conclusion will automatically qualify for the final group stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, while the second and third-place teams compete in the UWCL qualifying stages. The team with the worst record will be relegated to the Women’s Championship, the second tier of English women’s football.

What’s New in 2024-25 🆕

New Governing Body

Announced in August, the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) - formerly known as NewCo - will assume responsibility for the WSL and Women’s Championship (WC) from the Football Association (FA). Each club competing in the WSL and WC will be a shareholder. Led by CEO Nikki Doucet, the WPLL has set out to “build the most distinctive, competitive, and entertaining women’s football club competition in the world.”

Crystal Palace's New Look

Palace manager Laura Kaminski recruited well, making 14 signings over the summer. Notably, 32-year-old forward Katie Stengel brings extensive experience in the WSL (Liverpool: 2022-23) and NWSL (NY Gotham: 2023-24), while loans for 19-year-old defender Brooke Aspin (from Bristol City), 21-year-old Jorja Fox and 18-year-old forward Poppy Pritchard (from Manchester City) offer recognizable talent.

New Streaming Platform

Previously, fans would access WSL and WC games using a very temperamental online platform called the FA Player. This season, games and highlights will be streamed on the far more user-friendly YouTube. It's a step into the present for women’s football and brings the added benefit of making the WSL and Championship far more accessible to the casual (and international) fan.

Everyone Watches Women’s Football 📈

Check out some of the highlights from a record-smashing 2023-2024 season.

-1M fans attended games last season to watch the Super League and the Championship League.

-Attendance was up 41% compared to the 2022-23 season. 

-The WSL set records for its most-viewed games on BBC One (997,000 viewers) and Sky Sports (823,000 viewers). 

-After selling out every game at their previous home site of Mangata Pay UK Stadium in the 2023-24 season, Arsenal chose Emirates Stadium as its site for eight home fixtures this season. 

-Manchester United set a franchise attendance record in November of 2023 after 43,615 fans came out to their match at Old Trafford. This season, ManU will play three matches at Old Trafford.

When to Watch 🗓️

The WSL season runs from Friday, September 20, 2024 - Sunday, May 11, 2025

To view the full schedule of fixtures, click here

U.S. residents can catch matches on the WSL’s new YouTube channel.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Who to Watch 💪

Grace Clinton, Manchester United

Clinton went on loan to Tottenham Hotspur last season, making 20 appearances, scoring four goals, and bagging four assists for the North London side. 

She was a crucial figure in the club reaching their first FA Cup final at Wembley, despite being unable to play in the final (due to being conflicted).

Michelle Agyemang, Arsenal on loan to Brighton

Michelle Agyemang won two Championship Player of the Week and one Championship Player of the Month awards during her short time at the club. 

These performances earned Agyemang her first professional contract with the Gunners, who’ve chosen to develop her at Brighton, where she’ll gain invaluable WSL minutes and experience.

Americans Abroad 🌍

Katie Stengel is back in the WSL after spending a season at NJ/NY Gotham FC. She joins newly-promoted WSL side Crystal Palace, providing some much-needed experience to a young team.

USWNT defender Emily Fox commences her second season with Arsenal. Already a fan-favorite, she’s returning from a triumphant summer in Paris with a shiny gold medal.

She’s A Baller: Insights Report 📊

SAB is excited to announce the launch of its latest Women's Football Fandom Insights Report. The in-depth study brings together more than 1,100 views from across the women’s football landscape and delves into the evolving habits, concerns, and values of the women’s football industry. The report offers a unique perspective on everything from game consumption to the commercial pull of players to the safety of women and LGBTQ+ fans in football spaces.

Consumption Habits

Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube rank as the top three platforms for fans to engage with women's football content, with player-related content (94%) being the most popular, followed by news (80%) and entertainment (76%).

Fan Connection to Clubs, Players, and Brands

Influence of Female Players: 68% of fans share that brand partnerships and endorsements featuring female players influence their spending habits. 

Brand Responsibility: Over a third (36%) of female fans feel that brands are not doing enough to support women's football clubs. 

LGBTQ+ and Female Fan Safety

Inclusive Spaces: 77% of LGBTQ+ fans and 74% of female fans want to see more LGBTQ+ and women-only spaces in football. 

Safety at Matches: A staggering 96% of LGBTQ+ fans and 99% of female fans feel safe at women’s football games, in stark contrast to men’s matches where only 70% of LGBTQ+ and 84% of female fans feel the same.

Consumption Habits

Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube rank as the top three platforms for fans to engage with women's football content, with player-related content (94%) being the most popular, followed by news (80%) and entertainment (76%).

Fan Connection to Clubs, Players, and Brands

Influence of Female Players: 68% of fans share that brand partnerships and endorsements featuring female players influence their spending habits. 

Brand Responsibility: Over a third (36%) of female fans feel that brands are not doing enough to support women's football clubs. 

LGBTQ+ and Female Fan Safety

Inclusive Spaces: 77% of LGBTQ+ fans and 74% of female fans want to see more LGBTQ+ and women-only spaces in football. 

Safety at Matches: A staggering 96% of LGBTQ+ fans and 99% of female fans feel safe at women’s football games, in stark contrast to men’s matches where only 70% of LGBTQ+ and 84% of female fans feel the same.

To request the full report, please contact the She’s A Baller team via chloe@risingballers.co.uk.