Women's Football Set to Outshine Men's at Upcoming Summer Olympics

In a landmark development for women's football, the upcoming Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will see an increase in the number of competing teams from 12 to 16, marking the first instance where women's representation in the sport surpasses that of men's. This move signifies the growing prominence of women's football on a global scale.

In Europe, the women's game has experienced a remarkable surge in popularity, evident in instances where matches attract more spectators than men's games. One notable event occurred in March 2022, when a record 91,553 fans attended a UEFA Women's Champions League match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou. The record was broken the following month when 91,648 fans watched Barcelona face Wolfsburg. Barcelona's women's team has been professionally established since 2015 and boasts a strong online presence, with around 13 million followers due to a strategy that features female players prominently alongside their male counterparts. This season, the team is projected to generate approximately 23 million euros in revenue, rivaling that of first-division men’s clubs in Japan.

Historically, women's football was often seen as a side project linked to the corporate social responsibility initiatives of men's teams; however, Barcelona's investments in facilities and staff have transformed it into a lucrative endeavor. Judit Farre, head of Barcelona's women's business operations, emphasized that women’s football has immense business potential beyond the constraints of CSR. She expressed interest in expanding into new markets, particularly Japan.

In contrast, Japan’s WE League, which launched in 2021, is still navigating challenges as it relies significantly on a subsidy from the Japan Football Association. J-League Chairman Yoshikazu Nonomura, who has taken on dual responsibilities for the WE League, is actively seeking sponsors to help establish a stable financial foundation. Although the WE League achieved a positive financial outcome for the fiscal year ending March 2024, attendance remains an issue, with an average of only 1,723 fans per game, far from the target of 5,000. However, collaborative marketing efforts led to a record attendance of 21,524 at the WE League Cup final last December. Moving forward, the league plans to share fan data among all teams to enhance attendance at future games.