“WSL Secures Historic £65m TV Deal with Sky Sports and BBC for 2025-26 Season”

The Women’s Super League (WSL) has secured a landmark five-year domestic television deal worth approximately £65 million with Sky Sports and the BBC, set to commence in the 2025-26 season. This agreement will see nearly all top-flight matches broadcast live, significantly enhancing the visibility of women's football. While the exact financial details remain undisclosed, sources indicate that the total investment from the broadcasters, including production costs, will exceed £100 million. Sky Sports is expected to contribute the majority of this investment, gaining rights to broadcast up to 118 live WSL matches each season. Of these, 78 will be exclusive to Sky, which will also have priority in selecting 75% of the featured matches. The BBC will air up to 21 live matches per season, with 14 being exclusive to its channels and the remaining seven shared with Sky. Additionally, any matches not selected for live broadcast will be available to watch on YouTube, expanding access for fans and ensuring that all 132 games in a WSL season can be viewed either on television or online. There are also plans to significantly increase the number of Women’s Championship matches available for live streaming on YouTube starting next season, although neither Sky nor the BBC will broadcast Championship games live. This rights deal marks the first long-term broadcasting agreement negotiated by Women’s (WPLL) since it took over the management of England’s top two women’s leagues from the Football Association.