Barclays extend WSL sponsorship in £30million record deal to include Women’s Championship division
BARCLAYS have renewed their backing of the WSL in a record £30million partnership thought to be the biggest investment in women’s sport in the country.
The three-year deal will also see the financial firm become sponsors of the FA Women’s Championship from the start of next term – the 2022-23 season.
It is reported the deal, which will run until the end of the 2024-25 term, will see Barclays double the amount it invested as part of an existing agreement which began in 2019-20.
And that figure was in excess of £10 million for the league.
Kelly Simmons, the FA women’s professional game director said: “Barclays have played a crucial role in the growth of women’s and girls’ football, so it is excellent news that they are committing to a new record investment in the women’s and girls’ pyramid until 2025.
"The FA Women’s Championship plays a pivotal role in the ongoing development of the pyramid structure and the credible history and association to football that Barclays has will make the league even stronger."
The news comes in a season that has seen analysts claim the WSL is on course to become one of the four most-watched domestic sports leagues on television.
And it comes two months after the Manchester derby set a new TV audience record with 1.1million viewers tuning in.
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The new agreement is expected to see more than £15million invested in girls’ and women’s games across the country.
It will also include a sponsorship extension of a Girls’ Football School Partnership run by the FA which currently involves around 12,000 schools around the nation.
Football bosses have set a target of reaching 20,000 schools coaching girls to play the sport by 2024.
Simmons added: "As part of The FA’s 2020-2024 Women’s and Girls’ strategy, Inspiring Positive Change, we set ourselves the ambition of providing equal access for all girls at 90% of primary and secondary schools in the UK.
“Barclays continued support and investment has allowed us to make great strides in achieving this ambition.
“From grassroots to the top tiers of women’s football, we are also extremely excited to welcome Barclays as the new title sponsor of the FA Women’s Championship.
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