Women’s Sport continues to build momentum – as agency heavyweights deliver wealth of insights for sponsors and partners

The Havas Play panel

The step-change in support for women’s sport has translated into more prominent media coverage – and increased sponsorship revenues. Ampere Analysis, for example, estimates that the 2025 Women’s Euros has generated around €32.5m in sponsorship revenue, a 112% increase on the previous event in 2022.

Overall, according to Ampere, 21 global and national sponsors have partnered the event, with 30% from the US, 25% from Germany, and 15% from host country Switzerland. These include the likes of Amazon, Euronics, Grifols, and Visa.

Ampere isn’t the only company to have run the rule over women’s sport. For any brands still weighing up the merits of muscling in on the sector, there is now a wealth of insights to help inform their decision-making. Below are a few examples:

Women’s Sports Trust – a different lens

A new report from the Women’s Sports Trust shows that awareness of women’s sport sponsorship has reached a new high, with 28.9 million UK adults now aware of at least one partnership. The WST says that the report’s findings “reveal a clear commercial opportunity, with women’s sport delivering strong brand connection, emotional resonance, and high levels of purchase consideration”.

Developed with research support from ONSIDE, the report analysed 40 partnerships and includes case studies showing how brands across sectors are delivering real value through smart, purpose-led investment. Among key findings, WST says that 9.96 million consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that sponsors women’s sport – up 2% since 2023. Thirty percent of consumers think more favourably of companies or brands that support women’s sport through sponsorship (vs. 20% for men’s sport).

Brands that reflect fans’ values, by tackling inequality, supporting community, or investing in the long-term future of women’s sport, gain stronger consumer sentiment and loyalty, according to the WST. “Women’s sport sponsorship works – but it works differently,” says Women’s Sport Trust CEO Tammy Parlour. “It demands a different lens, different activations, and a sharper focus on relevance, values, and storytelling.”

Dentsu Sports International – a new playbook

Dentsu Sports International has just launched ‘A New Playbook for Women’s Sport’, which it calls “a go-to guide for best practice in women’s sport – packed with insights, trends and tactics to help brands win in this fast-growing space”.

DSI SVP content and creative Amar Singh kicks off the report by observing that “Women’s sport is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by a sustained increase in overall sports engagement. In the UK, over the past five years, one in three sports fans have reported a heightened interest in women’s sport, while 44% of women’s football fans have become supporters within the last decade. For brands, a clearly defined women’s sport strategy has moved from being ‘nice-to-have’ to ‘must-have’.”

Among the report’s insights, DSI notes that “Gen Z are becoming fans of men’s and women’s sports almost simultaneously, but clubs, broadcasters, leagues and sponsors are still lagging behind in adapting to this reality. The time interval between becoming a fan of men’s and women’s sports is just one year for 18-24-year-olds.”

DSI’s conclusion is that “today and tomorrow’s fans expect parity. Clubs need to present women’s and men’s teams as one cohesive brand, reflecting the expectations of Gen Z fans who value alignment over separation.” According to the report, tennis is “a leading example of gender parity in sport. Unlike many other disciplines, it has consistently showcased men and women’s competitions side-by-side, with near-equal marketing, prize money at Grand Slam events, and global media coverage.”

Reinforcing WST’s observations, DSI notes that simply copy and pasting strategies from men’s sport overlooks a critical truth: fans are not looking for more of the same. “They are drawn to what makes women’s sport different such as community focus, closer links to participation and a values-first ethos. Applying a one-size-fits-all marketing approach risks not only irrelevance, but actively missing the emotional and cultural cues that make women’s sport such a powerful platform for modern brands.”

Octagon and Futures Sport & Entertainment – data-driven blueprint

Octagon and Futures Sport & Entertainment have just unveiled UK Women’s Sport Growth Map: From Grassroots to the Big Stage, a study which they say provides “a data-driven blueprint to unlock the commercial potential of women’s sport”. 

Backed by robust research and strategic insight, the Growth Map “dives deep into the pathways from early participation to elite fandom, revealing where rights-holders, brands, broadcasters, and governing bodies should invest”.

“Women’s sport fandom is evolving rapidly, and we’re seeing a diverse range of fan groups emerge, each with unique characteristics,” said Shalina Nigam, vice president, head of women’s sport at Futures Sport & Entertainment. “It’s essential that we understand and embrace these differences, so we can tailor our strategies to engage each audience and support the continued growth of women’s sport.”

Laura Fairweather, new business and marketing director at Octagon UK, added “There is clear appetite, audience, and untapped commercial potential in women’s sport, and this report shows exactly where the biggest opportunities lie.”

Some key findings from the Growth Map include:

Engaged Females Don’t Subscribe: Of the group of females that both participate and watch sports, less than half subscribe to both Sky Sports and TNT Sports. 

Interest Is Not The Limiting Factor: There are females who participate in sport, but don’t actively engage in women’s sport. They show a clear appetite of interest in sport more generally but currently only engage in Men’s Sport, if at all. They represent a large untapped market for brands and rights holders.

Social Media Can Be a Key To Unlocking Untapped Potential: Females that play but haven’t watched a game live are the youngest of the segments and regularly consume content on social media, but only 15% consume content related to women’s sport. Delivering this content to their feed will drive deeper engagement.

Women’s Sport Isn’t The Same As Men’s Sport: There are more men who watch women’s sport than women, but this group seeks something different in women’s sport. They are looking for a younger, gender-balanced, family-friendly atmosphere that is the antithesis of the older, more male-dominated atmosphere in men’s sport.

Havas Play – a bold vision

Havas Play has just launched its VISION 2035 report to brand marketers, women’s sports advocates, and rights holders. A novel concept, Havas Play says the report is “our transformative view on how women's sport could (and should) be, if brands get involved now. Unlike any other sport report, we used insights and trend-forecasting to develop five bold visions that depict the explosive growth of women's sport in the next 10 years. From fan-first football teams to fashion brands built by female rugby players and padel becoming a cultural phenomenon, to superstar F1 drivers and an ultra-marathon dominated by a new breed of women athletes…”

Echoing his peers, Havas Play CEO Nick Wright calls 2025 “the biggest year in the history of women’s sport. The momentum is there. Our collective role – from brands and rights holders to talent and agencies – is to take it to the next level… and to reap the social and business rewards of doing so. In the wake of 2025, there isn’t a moment to lose. If you want in on the action, you need to act now.”

Wright’s ambition is for women’s sport to “transcend trends” becoming “part of our national consciousness, defining culture across all sorts of verticals; from fashion and future-facing innovations to celebrity and social causes.”

Havas Play is still rolling out some of the key insights from the report to its clients. But it has shared some intriguing facts with the UK Sponsorship Awards team:

Scale: 76% are interested in at least one women’s sport

Growth: Nearly 26m (49%) are consuming more women’s sport than they did 12 months ago. Nearly 14m (22%) plan to watch more women’s sport in the year

Opportunity: 50% feel more positive about brands who sponsor women’s sport. This increases to 63% for U35s and 66% for affluent audiences with over £100k income. 18% of ‘hardcore’ women’s sport fans have household income of £100k+.

Wasserman's The Collective – identity and authenticity

The Collective, Wasserman’s women-focused global advocacy and advisory business, has released the first instalment of The Collective Economy: A Global Understanding of Women’s Buying Power - an international study that explores how modern women see themselves, what drives their buying decisions, and why many brands may still be falling short of reaching them. While this report doesn’t deal specifically with sport, it does provide a valuable addendum – underlining the importance of women as an increasingly powerful consumer base.

Setting out its stall, The Collective says: “With two-thirds of the world’s discretionary spend in their pockets, women are wielding more financial influence than ever before, presenting an exciting opportunity for brands to better understand, represent, and serve this audience. This study, based on responses from 8,700 women across 10 countries, reveals that, despite almost a trillion dollars in global ad spend (2024), 49% of women still feel brands don’t understand them, and many say that products don’t reflect their needs. Additionally, while 91% of women value brand authenticity, nearly half of the women surveyed believe marketing still leans on outdated stereotypes.”

The Collective Economy examines how women from diverse age groups, regions, and backgrounds define their identities and the factors that influence their spending. Interestingly, attributes such as gender, race, or religion rank lower in importance, suggesting identity-first marketing (passions and hobbies, role as mother/caregiver, education and knowledge), not demographic marketing, is key to brand engagement.

Because women are complex, multi-dimensional consumers The Collective has created six global personas that align diverse world views and shared experiences and can act as a guide for marketers to reach this valuable consumer. These are:

The Mindful Multitasker: balancing work, family, and wellbeing

The Family-First Realist: grounded in practicality and long-term security

The Independent Striver: driven by growth, career, and financial autonomy

The Empowered Advocate: cares deeply about justice, visibility, and making change

The Global Dreamer: outward-facing, creative, and connected

The Creative Explorer: Defining life on their terms, and it has to mean something

Thayer Lavielle, managing director of The Collective, added: “Women are telling us what matters to them and what doesn’t, and they clearly want products that support and reflect their lives, values, and priorities. The Collective Economy is a blueprint for building stronger connections, greater impact, and lasting growth.”

Interested in entering the UK Sponsorship Awards? The 2026 edition of this prestigious annual event will soon be open for entries, with Women’s Sport Sponsorship a key highlight on the night. Check the UKSA website for details.