Off the back of England’s back-to-back Euros wins, the Women’s National League is moving to turn tournament glory into lasting growth at the third and fourth tiers of the game.
The Women’s National League (WNL) has launched a three-year strategy, Where Our Game Grows, aimed at boosting commercial sustainability and visibility across its clubs between 2025-2028.
England’s women are still basking in the afterglow of a second consecutive Euros win. It was the first senior tournament victory on foreign soil for any England side and it capped off what became the most attended and most watched Women’s Euros in history.
While it is a massive positive for the women’s game in England, the stakes have rarely been higher.
Euro 2025 generated record-breaking revenues of $149.3m (€128m), with ticket sales surpassing previous editions and commercial partnerships with global brands, such as Visa, Pepsi and Amazon.
Speaking to Insider Sport ahead of the tournament, Tammy Parlour MBE, Co-Founder and CEO of the Women’s Sport Trust, said: “These big international moments are massive accelerants for growth across the industry. Historically, those leaps in visibility and viewership have been around international moments, particularly in football.”
The “accelerant” effect is what the WNL now wants to harness. Sitting just below the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, the WNL covers the third and fourth tiers of the domestic game, representing the bridge between grassroots and the professional ranks.
It is the part of the women’s football pyramid where commercial resources are scarce, fanbases are still growing and the risks of financial fragility are highest.
A look at the strategy
‘Where Our Game Grows’ is built around four priority areas: Environment, People, Impact and Commercial, supported throughout by commitments to diversity and inclusion, safeguarding, female health, facilities and technology.
While Environment and People focus on raising club standards, nurturing talent pathways for players, referees, coaches and volunteers, as well as ensuring access to quality facilities, the league’s growth ambitions are driven primarily upon Impact and Commercial.
On the Impact side, the WNL has set a bold target for 2028, aiming for 45% of women’s football fans to be aware of the league. The strategy seeks to raise the league’s profile through a coordinated marketing and communications plan that aligns with wider FA campaigns.
It highlights on-field performance and celebrates the league’s role models while ensuring fans understand the range of opportunities within the game, including refereeing, coaching, volunteering and administration.
High-profile competitions such as the Adobe Women’s FA Cup will be used to bring visibility to WNL clubs, while training and support will help individual clubs boost their own profiles through social media, match-day promotions and community engagement.
Improved facilities and fan experiences have been highlighted as central to attracting larger and more diverse audiences, especially as the league looks to turn awareness into sustained support and financial stability.
The commercial strategy runs in parallel, with the league working to establish a portfolio that includes a lead partner and at least two supporting partners. It focuses on finalising a dedicated commercial plan and integrating it with broader activities, ensuring clubs can operate efficiently and take advantage of growth opportunities.
Facilities and operations are being prepared to meet increasing media interest, while go-to-market materials and active sales engagement will help secure partnerships.
The league is also aligning agreements with club needs, exploring deeper collaboration with existing commercial partners and attracting partnerships that support its values, empower women and reflect the WNL’s commitment to inclusivity.
The overall goal is to move from ad hoc deals to a structured, scalable model that generates consistent investment and strengthens clubs’ financial footing.
Clubs leading the way
While the WNL’s strategy looks at the league levelling up, individual clubs are already hard at work boosting the game at the third and fourth tiers. Insider Sport spoke with Nicole Allison, owner and CEO of Worcester City Women, in May, who shared her commercial strategy for growth and impact.
Allison was clear that relying on handouts from men’s clubs is not a sustainable path. Although this may be seen as a privilege at the top of the pyramid, she stresses that building independent revenue streams is the only way to ensure long-term stability.
“We can’t just be reliant on handouts from our men’s team. That isn’t the right way to do things,” she said.
Instead, Worcester City Women have focused on growing attendance, selling tickets and establishing commercial partnerships which reflect the club’s values and connect with the local community.
Local sponsorships have been central to the club’s approach. Open GI, headquartered in Worcester, has supported the team with activations including ticket giveaways, hospitality and charity tournaments.
Allison explained partnerships are more than financial agreements, adding they are aligned with shared values, local pride and building a foundation that can be sustainable for years to come.
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