The Rise of Women’s Football Worldwide
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 are proving to the world something that numbers were already pointing out: women’s football is rising fast globally. The FIFA Women’s World Ranking broke a new record recently with 181 MA (member associations). The number of eligible MAs rose to 211, a new high.
Football is still undeniably the most popular sport worldwide. Nowadays, it’s possible to follow competitions from the other side of the globe and even play football-related games in live online casinos. If you want football-related content, you’ll never be left empty-handed, and women’s football is now one more item on the menu.
The Kickstart
The first women’s game date might surprise you: March 23, 1895, in England. Seven years later, the FA ruled the ladies out of the game. This ban was only lifted in 1971.
The ban didn’t count much during WWI, when nearly all men went to the trenches. Indeed, the number of women’s teams increased in the country during the conflict, as well as its audience. The first international match would only happen in 1920, though.
During the 70s and 80s, more women’s associations for the sport began to appear worldwide. In 1991, the first FIFA World Cup finally came, with a much smaller prize than men’s: GBP 24 million against GBP 315 million.
Australia and New Zealand
This year’s edition of the FIFA World Cup is a historical one for the ladies. Many records have been broken, from the number of participants, ticket sales, and viewership. The match between China and England was watched by over 53 million fans, the highest recorded audience.
Prizes are also much juicer now. Thirty-two member associations are fighting for a USD 110 million prize. FIFA ensured it would provide the same quality and support it offered to men’s teams during the World Cup in Qatar. This edition also has more training sessions than any other before, hosting 410 training sessions.
Betting on Expansion
Including women’s sports in sportsbooks is influencing this rising trend. It’s part of a virtuous circle, where better coverage increases viewership, and more public interest creates the demand for even more comprehensive media coverage.
This movement attracts punters, who watch the matches they’re betting on. In the United States, the viewership for the WNBA rose considerably after the league was included in FanDuel’s list of games. While viewership increased by 46% this season, FanDuel recorded about USD1 million in betting volume for the same league.
Image: Anastasia Shuraeva – Pexels
