Women's Football Could Get Bigger In Women's Super League 2023

Can 2023 top last year's unprecedented performance for women's football in England when attendance levels broke records? Women's football experienced tremendous growth overall in 2022. However, will WSL find an equivalent place in Indian betting sites as Men’s tournaments? Let’s find out.

What 2022 Witnessed?

Chelsea won the WSL for the third time in a row in May, while Manchester City defeated the Blues to win the League Cup; manager Emma Hayes, who celebrated ten years in charge of the team in 2022, also led the Blues to an FA Cup triumph. Success, however, extended beyond the playing field, with Reading selling five times as many season tickets compared to 2021. In September, the Arsenal vs. Tottenham match at Emirates Stadium broke the previous WSL attendance record with 47,367 spectators. Increasing club investment also resulted in higher earnings and longer contracts, and it was announced that players in England's top two divisions would receive better maternity pay.

Additionally, there were changes in the transfer market as Keira Walsh, an English midfielder, moved from Manchester City to Barcelona in September for a record-breaking £400,000.

What Awaits In 2023?

The WSL has a lot of opportunities to grow, and advancements might get even more prominent in 2023. As the landmark broadcast agreement between the Football Association and Sky Sports, and the BBC enters its final 18 months, talks about new, better agreements are anticipated. Even though attendance has generally improved, it is still not very large each week. 5,099 people, on average, attended the WSL in November 2022. 6,000 people are expected by 2024.

This season, the Women's Super League's main goal was to increase attendance while expanding the fan base. It's great when supporters occasionally visit the stadium, but the management wants to ensure they become immersed in the event and willing to see more action.

Some clubs might need to relocate to larger facilities to accommodate a growing fan population. Kingsmeadow, Chelsea's residence, can only accommodate 4,850 people. Meadow Park, where Arsenal typically plays, has a capacity of 4,500. Hayes, the manager of Chelsea, has also urged for higher ticket pricing: "Women's football is one of the main issues that probably isn't discussed enough. As a result of the associated costs, I firmly believe that if we want to play in (larger stadiums) more frequently, we must raise the entire pricing structure.".

Can more be done in 2023, considering that teams like Aston Villa, Leicester, Brighton, and Tottenham have invested more in their women's teams? Hayes stated to Newsbeat on BBC Radio One: "Apart from the top two or three teams, I believe people need to understand that there are still many clubs with insufficient funding. They can lack the resources or knowledge necessary to promote growth at the same rate. Much more money needs to be put into their infrastructures."

Additionally, there are calls for better medical studies on issues like lowering the risk of ACL injuries and supporting pregnant players in women's football. Lastly, the FA intends to create a business that will manage the WSL for at least three years starting January 2023.