On Sunday, up to 95 of the players that travelled to Australia and New Zealand to compete in the Women’s World Cup will kick off the new season of the Women’s Super League hoping they have brought you with them.
The World Cup was the shop window for the world’s leagues and their players, a chance to pick up eyes and ears like never before. It delivered. The 1,978,274 fans in the stands and record-breaking viewing figures, which included a combined 13.3m in the UK watching the final across the BBC and ITV, ensured that it became the first Women’s World Cup to break even, generating $570m (£465m) in revenue.
But it was the stories of the teams and players that stole the show as much as the football did, not least Spain’s canter to a first major trophy despite their dispute with the federation and manager Jorge Vilda, that would be so brutally exposed in the aftermath of their historic win. Where outside Spain can you watch those champions on and off the pitch? Laia Codina and Irene Guerrero have joined Arsenal and Manchester United respectively this summer, making the WSL the third league to boast any of Spain’s World Cup winners, after Spain (of course) and Mexico, where forward Jenni Hermoso plays.
Of the Lionesses 23-player squad that reached a first World Cup final, losing 2-1 to Spain, 20 play in the WSL. Kyra Cooney-Cross has joined Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley at Arsenal to bring the tally of Australia semi-finalists playing in England to 11. Three of the tournament’s top-five goalscorers, including the Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa, who has joined Manchester United, will be plying their trade here this season. Increasingly, the WSL is where players want to be. Why? Because it is one of the fastest developing leagues in the world, with investment pouring in and increasingly professional and secure environments on offer.
When the season begins on Sunday, two-thirds of the games will be played in the main stadiums of the clubs, with Bristol City hosting Leicester at Ashton Gate, Aston Villa welcoming Manchester United to Villa Park, Chelsea playing Tottenham at Stamford Bridge and Liverpool travelling to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal. The Gunners led the way last season, playing Tottenham in front of a WSL record crowd of 47,367, Manchester United in front of 40,604 and a Champions League semi-final against Wolfsburg in front of a sold-out crowd of 60,063. They are doing so again selling over 53,000 tickets for their curtain raiser.
The WSL provides affordable football, giving fans a chance to get into the main stadiums, as much as also providing the hardcore club supporter with another outlet for their fervour.
The product is also the best it’s been, with investment meaning players can increasingly focus on performing on the pitch and not their future or how to supplement their income. But be patient with them too. This game is still growing, and players have not been conditioned for three games a week and elite football from the ages of five to eight like most of the men have.
For Arsenal’s World Cup finalists – Alessia Russo, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Codina – there were only 17 days between the final and their first Champions League qualifying game. For the Australian trio at Arsenal, it was 18 days between them playing in the third-place game and meeting Swedish side Linköping. All those competing at the World Cup have had very little time off, some only a week, and preseasons have been interrupted by an international break for the first Women’s Nations League to get under way less than a week before the WSL season starts. The calendar has been brutal, and it is taking its toll.
Next summer is the Paris Olympics then, in 2025, the Lionesses will defend the European Championship. That will be the fifth major tournament in five years. When you see players busting a gut on the opening day or going down injured after one minute too many, or are wondering where long-term injured Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson or recently injured Emma Watson are, an understanding of this context matters.
The show will still go on, the football will still amaze. Chelsea are bidding for a fifth successive title, Arsenal will be hoping to deny them that crown after failing to progress to the Champions League group stage, Manchester United too will be wanting to go one step further after finishing second last season, Aston Villa hoping their additions help breach the top four, Manchester City looking for consistency with a settled squad and promoted Bristol City playing like they have nothing to lose.
If you’re looking for a new sporting thrill, strap in and come along for the ride, you won’t be disappointed.
