The Football Association, Sky Sports and the BBC have announced a landmark rights deal that will see more access to live women's football than ever before, with a three-year agreement to broadcast the Barclays FA Women's Super League with effect from the 2021/2022 season.
The multimillion-pound agreement with Sky Sports will see the broadcaster show the top tier of women's football for the first time. The organisation has the right to show up to 44 matches, with a minimum of 35 being screened across Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Football, with some matches also shown simultaneously on Sky Sports Mix and Sky One.
The BBC have made a commitment to showcase the league to even more viewers by broadcasting 22 live games per season, with a minimum of 18 matches on mainstream, free-to-air channels, BBC One and BBC Two. Previously, games have been shown live on BBC iPlayer and Red Button.
The agreements with both broadcasters will run until the summer of 2024.
This is the first time that the rights to the Barclays FA WSL have been sold separately from the men's game, with clubs in the league including Albion receiving a proportion of the revenue. Part of the income will also be distributed to clubs in the FA Women's Championship to aid their development.
This partnership is a landmark moment for the Barclays FA Women's Super League, with more visibility than ever before, and the agreement beginning just a year before the 2022 UEFA Women's European Championships are due to be hosted in England with three matches including an England game to be staged at the Amex.
Albion's Women's & Girls' General Manager Polly Bancroft has welcomed the new broadcast agreement.
Kelly Simmons, The FA's Director of the Women's Professional Game said: “We' re delighted to welcome Sky Sports and to extend our relationship with the BBC as our domestic broadcast partners from the 2021/2022 season in what is a game-changing agreement that will transform the Barclays FA Women's Super League.
"Visibility and investment are such key factors in growing any women's sport and we are delighted that Sky Sports and the BBC have made a commitment to broadcast more live women's football than we have ever seen before, while signifying its true value.”
Polly Bancroft, Albion’s general manager for women’s and girls’ football, said: “The increased visibility will help us raise the profile of the team and build our fan base. It will showcase our athletes in living rooms nationally, giving supporters more opportunities to follow our progress in the Women’s Super League throughout the season.
“The matchday build up and surrounding coverage including in-depth features on players will allow supporters to see behind the scenes and to get to know the squad better.”
Head coach Hope Powell said, “It’s a great move for the development of the WSL and the women’s game in this country. It will raise the profile of the clubs and the players themselves and we’re looking forward to working with Sky Sports and BBC to promote our club, the WSL and women’s football. It feels like a significant moment, especially with the Euros coming up in 2022 in England.”