Premier League Invests £20m to Accelerate Commercial Development of Elite Women's Football

The Premier League has announced plans to inject £20m into elite women's football in order to accelerate the sport's commercial development. The financing was approved by Women's Super League (WSL) and Championship clubs at a meeting on Wednesday. The loan, which will be interest-free, will only need to be repaid once the 'newco' established by the top two divisions has recorded £100m in annual revenue.

The funding will be used for various purposes as the new commercial entity becomes operational. Nikki Doucet, the chief executive of the newco, has ambitious plans to grow women's football, taking advantage of the increased interest in the sport following the success of the England national team.

As part of the deal, Women's Championship clubs will receive 25% of the combined leagues' commercial income, the majority of which is generated by the Women's Super League. The Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, stated that the loan is subject to approval by the WSL board.

The Women's Super League is currently led by Chelsea, with Manchester City close behind. The division below is led by Charlton Athletic, with other clubs including Sunderland, Watford, and Durham.

The Premier League's investment aims to support the WSL in formulating a comprehensive broadcast rights package. The WSL has set an ambitious goal of becoming the world's first £1bn-revenue women's competition within the next decade.

The increased public interest in women's football, fueled by England's successful Euro 2022 campaign and last year's Women's World Cup Final, has led to record attendance levels. The WSL board has also considered engaging investment bankers to explore additional sources of capital for the sport's growth, although private equity investment is not currently being pursued.

Overall, the Premier League's investment in elite women's football demonstrates a commitment to the sport's development and commercial success. It provides financial support to the Women's Super League and Championship clubs, with the aim of growing women's football and capitalizing on the increased interest in the sport.