BBC announces landmark broadcast deal with Women's Super League
The move will bring the league its largest audience to date.
The BBC has secured a rights deal for the Women's Super League which will see the sport gain a larger presence on free-to-air television than ever before.
A minimum of 18 live games will be shown on BBC One and BBC Two starting from September 2021, serving as a major promotion from their previous home on Red Button and BBC iPlayer.
In addition to these Women's Super League games, fans can also expect coverage of live FA Cup matches and Team GB’s journey in the Summer Olympics, as well as regular highlights on The Women’s Football Show.
Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, said: "This is fantastic news for sports fans and for women’s football. We are delighted to offer the WSL a free-to-air platform to ensure the sport, and the players, connect with the widest possible audience.
"With EURO 2022 on the horizon, giving fans more opportunities to watch Women’s Super League will build the excitement for a home tournament."
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Women's Super League games will be shared between the BBC and Sky Sports, the latter of which has picked up the rights from BT Sport.
However, every game from the upcoming Women’s UEFA European 2022 tournament will be broadcast on the BBC, making it one of the premier destinations for followers in the UK.
There has been a sharp rise in support for women's football in recent years, with 2019's FIFA Women's World Cup drawing over one billion viewers worldwide across all viewing platforms.
In the UK, the BBC's coverage of the event reached more than 28 million people, with England's semi-final loss against the USA drawing 11.7 million and becoming one of the biggest live TV events of the year.
Take a look at the rest of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.