A report released by analytics company Nielsen Sports and beverage corporation PepsiCo this week indicates that women's soccer is on track to amass upward of 800 million fans by 2030 — eventually making it the fifth largest sport in the world.
Nielsen estimates that women's soccer currently has the world's 10th biggest fanbase, but the study's prediction of a 38% increase in reach over the next five years would have the sport eventually rivaling top spectator draws like pro tennis and Formula One.
Already a powerhouse in the US, the rise of the European women's game has been particularly significant.
For example, the UK-hosted 2022 Euro saw fan interest in the women's game double in England, with that growth beginning well before the Lionesses' historic title win.
The report also notes that women's soccer still lags behind in terms of corporate sponsorship, highlighting increased opportunities for brands as the fanbase expands.
"We see women's football as more than just a sport," said PepsiCo EVP and chief marketing and growth officer Jane Wakely. "It's a cultural force with the power to connect, inspire and grow our brands."
"From media rights to sponsorship and fan engagement, this is no longer a case of future promise but present value," said Nielsen Sports head of international Samantha Lamberti.
Ultimately, the current trajectory of women's soccer is seeing the sport carve out a more powerful place in the global market — so long as investors also see the vision.
"We have long believed in the potential of women's football," added Lamberti. "Today, we're no longer just tracking progress, we're witnessing a breakthrough."
England dropped its 2025 Euro roster on Thursday morning, with manager Sarina Wiegman's title-defending squad facing major shakeups after three longtime staples recently withdrew from consideration.
Forward Fran Kirby and goalkeeper Mary Earps officially announced their international retirements mere days before the drop, with Wiegman previously informing 31-year-old Kirby of her omission from this summer's lineup.
Defender Millie Bright followed suit, stepping back from the team in a Wednesday social media post that stated she's "not able to give 100% mentally or physically."
While these shifts don't necessarily spell defeat, England now faces an uphill climb in their hunt for a second straight European title.
The Lionesses will start their campaign in Group D, a tricky division featuring perennial powerhouses France and the Netherlands plus regional rival Wales.
To further complicate things, England is also coming off a rocky Nations League run, failing to qualify for this year's Finals after finishing second behind Group A3 winner — and 2023 World Cup champs — Spain.
Though their 2025 Euro roster is missing some homegrown talent, the England lineup does feature a handful of NWSL stars stepping into the spotlight.
Washington defender Esme Morgan will make her Euro debut after helping lead the Lionesses to the 2023 World Cup final, while Gotham defender Jess Carter and Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse return to the competition to defend their 2022 success.
All in all, with a refreshed roster and increased parity across the women's game, the Lionesses' path to 2025 Euro victory is now more uncertain than ever.
England's 2025 Euro roster
- Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
- Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Maya le Tissier (Manchester United)
- Midfielders: Ella Toone (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Chelsea), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Jess Park (Manchester City)
- Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, on loan from Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Michelle Agyemang (Brighton, on loan from Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)
Incoming Matildas boss Joe Montemurro revealed a new setback in the return of Australia captain Sam Kerr from injury on Monday, disclosing that the Chelsea striker has recently undergone an additional surgery unrelated to her January 2024 ACL tear.
"I think there were some complications," Montemurro told Australia's Channel 10 about the 31-year-old attacker's status this week. "There was a subsequent intervention, but I do believe she is now back running."
"It was something completely different [to the ACL injury]. I think the knee is fine," Montemurro continued.
Montemurro, who took the reins of the Matildas this week following a year-long stint leading European club titan OL Lyonnes, did not detail a specific timeline for Kerr's return.
However, the Australia captain is likely to miss the world No. 16 team's upcoming three summer friendlies against No. 38 Slovenia and No. 57 Panama.
That said, though Montemurro has yet to directly connect with Kerr, the Australia boss did state that "there's nothing to worry about, she's on track."
"By all reports, she's focused on getting back and she's focused on being back at her best, knowing that there's an exciting tournament coming up," the new Matildas manager said, referencing the 2026 Asian Cup.
"So with that attitude, I expect to see a fantastic Sam Kerr."
With the 16-team UEFA Euro 2025 set to kick off in Switzerland in less than five weeks, UEFA is seizing the opportunity to expand its global footprint following a breakout 2022 tournament.
The continental governing body is starting stateside, with Fox Sports announcing Wednesday that its platforms will air 20 matches from the upcoming 31-game European Championship live — marking the women's side's largest US media deal on record.
With no major events scheduled for the USWNT, international women's soccer will take center stage this summer, as the Euro, Copa América, and Africa Cup of Nations all return in July.
Fox Sports will also bring Copa América action to US viewers for the first time ever this summer, with broadcast details still to come.
England raises prize money for Lionesses
England is also upping its investment, with the FA agreeing to pay the Lionesses a record £1.7 million bonus package — nearly $2.3 million — should they successfully defend their 2022 title.
This year's total more than doubles the amount England players received for reaching the 2023 World Cup final.
While exact sums will vary, player payouts would average £73,000 each (over $98,000) — up some £18,000 ($24,000) from the Lionesses' 2022 earnings.
The move follows UEFA's earlier decision to double its own prize pool in 2025, raising the total purse to £34 million (almost $46 million), including an extra £4.3 million ($5.8 million) for the winner.
How to watch the 2025 Euros this summer
The 2025 European Championship kicks off on July 2nd when Iceland faces Finland at 12 PM ET before Switzerland takes on Norway at 3 PM ET, live on Fox.
Longtime England goalkeeper Mary Earps announced her retirement from international play on Tuesday, immediately ending her run just five weeks before the Lionesses begin their 2022 Euro title defense.
"My journey has never been the simplest, so in true Mary fashion, this isn't a simple goodbye — right before a major tournament," Earps said in a retirement post on Instagram. "Nonetheless, I know this is the right decision."
Despite the seemingly snap choice, Earps later clarified that she "spent a long time making this decision and it's not one I've made lightly. For me, ultimately this is the right time for me to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive."
Earps led England to their first-ever European Championship plus the 2023 World Cup final in her 53 international caps.
However, Lioness manager Sarina Wiegman told media earlier this year that the 32-year-old Earps would likely take a backseat to Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton at July's 2025 Euro.
"I had hoped that Mary would play an important role within the squad this summer, so of course I am disappointed," Wiegman said after Earps's retirement news broke.
Hampton to lead new-look England goalkeeping core
Hampton, who shared the 2024/25 WSL Golden Glove with Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce — a top USWNT keeper prospect — will now take over as England's No. 1 net-minder, though the 24-year-old still lacks experience in a major tournament.
Playing behind Hampton will be 20-year-old Manchester City goalie Khiara Keating and 30-year-old Orlando Pride keeper Anna Moorhouse — who owns the NWSL's single-season shutouts record. Both have been club standouts, though neither has logged a cap for England.
As for Earps, her football journey will continue at the club level with PSG, with the now-former Lioness promising that "There's so much to still look forward to, and I have so much energy to continue to strive for greatness, to continue to learn and push myself to maximise every last ounce of potential I have."
Global soccer's biggest awards ceremony is making changes, with UEFA announcing Monday that the Ballon d'Or is adding three new women's categories and shifting its dates in order to better accommodate the FIFA women's calendar.
Traditionally held in late October to accommodate the men's calendar, the Paris event historically conflicts with the women's international window, impeding nominees from attending what is arguably the sport's biggest night.
Heavy criticism of that schedule prompted owners UEFA and France Football magazine to move the upcoming 69th edition of the awards ceremony to September 22nd, 2025.
"I mean, it'd be like running an Oscars or a Golden Globes, without having any females present," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said of the event last year, shortly before earning the first-ever women's coach of the year award. "It just wouldn't happen. And I think that all too often it's an afterthought, to be honest with you."
In addition to addressing scheduling concerns, the 2025 women's ballot will also expand to include Best Young Player, Best Goalkeeper, and Top Scorer for Club or Country — categories previously limited to the men's side.
The Ballon d'Or began honoring women's soccer athletes in 2018, with a combined four of the six total Best Player awards going to Spanish nationals Alexia Putellas (2021, 2022) and Aitana Bonmatí (2023, 2024).
The only other recipients of the award are USWNT star Megan Rapinoe (2019) and Norway's Ada Hegerberg (2018).
This year's nominees will be announced in August.
Soccer legend Marta is officially returning to the canary yellow kit, earning a Brazil national team call-up just over nine months after her planned retirement from international duty.
Brazil head coach Arthur Elias named Marta to the world No. 8 Seleção's roster on Tuesday, with the 39-year-old icon returning for the team's upcoming home friendlies against No. 5 Japan on May 30th and June 2nd.
"I was with Marta recently and spoke with her," Elias told reporters on Tuesday. "She said she is available to help the team while she is playing at a high level, as she is now."
Stellar club form fuels Marta's Brazil return
Marta, who hung up her international boots after snagging a third silver Olympic medal at the 2024 Paris Games, hasn't missed a beat since, captaining the Orlando Pride to the club's first-ever NWSL Shield and Championship last fall.
In the process, the scoring phenom claimed the league's Best XI First Team honors, as well as finalist nods for both the 2024 NWSL MVP and Midfielder of the Year awards.
Unsurprisingly, the Pride inked Marta to a two-year contract extension in January.
While Marta's consistently impressive form fueled Elias's request to lure her out of retirement, the manager is also hoping her unmatched leadership will bolster younger athletes as Brazil takes aim at a record-extending ninth Copa América title this summer — and, as the host nation, a deep 2027 World Cup run.
Joining the legend on Tuesday's roster are fellow Brazil veterans Lorena and Debinha, from the NWSL-leading Kansas City Current, and Marta's Orlando teammate Angelina.
"[Marta's] presence in some call-ups is very important for the younger players, for the renewal that is taking place in the national team," explained Elias. "We really want expectations to rise for the women's national team and for football in our country."
The 2031 Women's World Cup will expand to 48 teams, with the 16-team increase announced among other landmark decisions by the FIFA Council on Friday.
The decision to expand the World Cup aims to "broaden representation, offering more nations and players access to elite competition and accelerating investment in women's football worldwide," according to the FIFA release.
"The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, the first in which teams from all confederations won at least one game and teams from five confederations reached the knockout stage, among many other records, set a new standard for global competitiveness," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
"This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women’s football globally."
The expanded 2031 World Cup, hosted by the US, will adopt a 12-group format, increasing the total number of matches from 64 to 104 while extending the competition for an additional week.
The World Cup expansion announcement comes on the heels of last month's increased Olympic tournament news, with the IOC boosting the women's soccer field to 16 teams at the 2028 LA Games.
The decision also puts the women's competition in line with the men's World Cup, which will feature FIFA's first 48-team tournament in 2026.
FIFA approves Afghan women's refugee team
In the same Friday announcement, the FIFA Council also approved the creation of an Afghanistan women's refugee team, which would provide evacuated Afghan women players the ability to compete on an officially recognized FIFA team.
While FIFA requires that national federations sponsor teams, the Afghan Football Federation ceased acknowledging its women's team once the Taliban-controlled government banned women's sports.
Originally formed by the country's Olympic Committee in 2007, the Afghanistan women's national team has not played a FIFA-recognized match since 2018, and most of its athletes fled the country amidst the Taliban's second takeover in 2021.
Since then, players have petitioned FIFA for the opportunity to compete. Their efforts earned a one-year trial phase from the governing body on Friday, though the success of the program could see it expanded to refugees from other nations in the future.
"We are happy that FIFA has created a pathway for Afghan players to finally return to the field," team founder and former captain Khalida Popal told CNN on Friday, adding that the squad "remain[s] hopeful FIFA can amend its statutes to provide official recognition for our players as the Afghanistan Women's National Team."
Popal — who helped hundreds of Afghans, including the team, escape the Taliban — previously said the team "could show the world that Afghan women and girls belong in sport, in school and everywhere in society — and we will not be defeated."
Australia and Manchester City forward Mary Fowler exited last Sunday’s FA Cup semifinal with a confirmed ACL injury, cutting short what had been a promising season for the young international star.
“Mary will remain under the care of the club’s medical team and start her rehabilitation,” City said after the team’s 2-0 loss to crosstown rivals Manchester United.
“It’s never easy when something like this happens, especially when you’ve been working so hard and feeling good,” Fowler added.
Fowler scored six goals in 17 WSL appearances for Manchester City this season, coupled with a league-leading seven assists. She joined City in 2022 from French side Montpellier, signing a four-year contract with the English team.
The news adds to City’s mounting injury tally, as the fourth-place team enters the UK league’s home stretch with Vivianne Miedema, Bunny Shaw, and Alex Greenwood on the sidelines. Additional unavailable players include Jill Roord, Laura Blindkilde-Brown, Aoba Fujino, Rebecca Knaak, and Lauren Hemp.
Fowler injury leaves 2026 Asian Cup fitness in question
Fowler's recent ACL tear has broader implications than club play.
Australia is set to host 2026 Asian Cup, with the 22-year-old striker expected to lead the Matildas' frontline at the tournament. However, with a lengthy rehabilitation process ahead, Fowler might not be available to represent her country when the Asian Cup kicks off next March.
“This is tough news for Mary and for all of us who know the dedication and passion she brings to her craft,” Matildas interim head coach Tom Sermanni said in a national team statement. “She’s an exceptional talent and a much-loved member of our team, and we know she’ll meet this challenge with the same courage she brings to the pitch.”
“Everyone in the Matildas and Football Australia family – players, coaches, and support staff – will be right behind Mary as she takes the first steps toward her comeback,” he continued.
Fowler debuted for Australia's national team in 2018. She went on to score 16 goals over 64 appearances.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed two future Women’s World Cup hosts at the UEFA Congress in Belgrade earlier today.
The 2031 event belongs to the United States, while the United Kingdom will host in 2035.
Infantino cited the UK “Home Nations” (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) as providing the only “valid bid” for 2035. The US submitted the sole bid for 2031 after ceding a prior campaign to host the 2027 tournament to Brazil.
“As part of the bidding process, we received one bid for '31 and one bid, valid bid, I should add for '35,” said the FIFA president.
“The path is there for the Women's World Cup to be taking place in '31 and '35 in some great countries and some great nations to boost even more the women's football movement.”
US set to host third global FIFA tournament
2031 will mark a record third US-hosted Women's World Cup after successful runs in 1999 and 2003.
The national federation confirmed its intent to submit a 2031 Women's World Cup bid early last month. The decision came soon after FIFA said the 2031 tournament must be played either in North America or Africa.
“We are excited about the opportunity to co-host the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup and, in collaboration with our Concacaf partners, are committed to delivering a tournament that leaves a lasting legacy,” U.S. Soccer posted. “One that elevates women's soccer across the world and inspires future generations of players and fans.”
Following a successful 2023 expanded tournament in Australia and New Zealand, 32 countries will again feature in the 2027 Women's World Cup. The competition is set to grow to 48 teams by the time the US hosts in 2031.
UK to host first Women's World Cup in 2035
Unlike the US, the UK has never before welcomed the global women’s tournament. England did host the 2022 Women’s Euros, eventually winning the tournament on home soil.
2023 Women's World Cup winners Spain explored a late Women's World Cup bid in conjunction with Portugal and Morocco — their partners in hosting the 2030 men's event. However, FIFA quickly ruled out the possibility in favor of the UK's joint bid.
“Football is and always will be at the core of our country's identity,” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said last month.
“Whether we watch on TV, play at the weekends like I do, or simply enjoy soaking up the atmosphere in the pub, it brings communities together like little else. That pride was on full display when England hosted UEFA Women's Euro 2022. It not only showed the best of our nation to the world but inspired a generation of girls into the game, all whilst boosting the economy.”