by As women’s leagues continue to evolve and fight for viewership, it is worth considering the state of play thus far. We’ve taken a bird’s eye view of the shifting dynamics between the established leaders, the new professional leagues, as well as those leagues that are on the edge between reaching into new highs and being pushed off.
The Established Leaders
As women’s football continues to develop, there are a few leagues which continue to set themselves apart at domestic level. There is no doubt that the English top tier continues to gain more attention as it strives to set itself at the top of the global game in viewership.
However, there is some fear of stagnation and an unmatchable strength of the money-backed top-four that is starting to proliferate discussion. This as Chelsea lead the way in the English top-tier once more, despite a change in coach, with sights on defending the title in the Women’s Super League and an unbeaten run thus far. They enjoy a six-point gap to Arsenal, who are followed by Manchester City and Manchester United.
Following them are Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham, with the two clubs having invested heavily in recent years. Although a big name, Liverpool have struggled to maintain pace with the top clubs, and find themselves eighth, tied on points with Aston Villa and Everton.
There isn’t much to separate sides toward the bottom of the table, but Crystal Palace will be hoping to clear the bottom spot to retain the place in the top tier, but equally so will be Leicester City and West Ham.
Despite some fear of stagnation at the top and the difficulty for promoted sides to retain their place, the English league is among the most profiled in media and continues to gather the attraction of several worldwide audiences. A record 65 million pound deal between BBC and Sky to broadcast close to ninety percent of the matches for the next five season will certainly continue to aid that.
In contrast, in terms of competitive football, there is no league that is more divisive than that of Spain. Barcelona are comfortably ahead in the Liga F with sights on defending their crown as well. While their strength continues to shine even in Europe, the question continues to beg whether Barcelona are just that good, or whether the rest of the teams in Spain’s league are so far off the leaders.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid remain the two teams in close proximity, but still struggling to rein in the defending champions. The league is among the largest, featuring 16 teams, with Valencia in rock bottom having garnered just two points.
On the other hand, Italy’s Serie A is among the least crowded, featuring just ten teams. However, it has tossed up more excitement this season as Juventus are charging toward a return to glory. They have a seven point lead on Inter and defending champions Roma, both tied on 28 points, and closely trailed by Fiorentina on 26. Como and AC Milan are the teams following, but some ways adrift of the top four on 19 and 15 points.
Differing to the format of most leagues, the Italian Serie A features a league split, top five and bottom five, at which point teams will only face direct confrontations in their group. So, despite the gap that Juventus have amassed, the contest for the title is rather still open. However, with thirtheen matches played, there is still some ways to go, with the split being acted following matchday eighteen. Roma’s Super Cup victory over Fiorentina yesterday will certainly do them no harm as they look to kick on toward defending their title.
Germany’s top tier is also one to keep an eye on as Eintracht Frankfurt are tied at the top with Bayern Munich, with both closely followed by Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen. Records are at stake this season, as Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg aim to distinguish themselves with an eighth title, while also denying Bayern Munich a seventh crown to equal their own historic records.
On the other hand, things have dwindled for a once European champion, as Turbine Potsdam find themselves rock bottom with just one point, with Carl Zeiss Jena leading them by three points. Koln are slightly better off on five points, led by SGS Essen who have eight points in twelve matches.
The four European leagues all enjoy viewership on DAZN, which has plenty of matches that may be live-streamed for free via its Youtube channel, in a bid to widen the reach. It has never been easier to watch top league football, the only conundrum is deciding which match to watch.
Although levelling off in recent years and becoming more of a feeder league, the Swedish Damallsvenskan is a league that was for a long time one of the strongholds in women’s football. Rosengard lifted the trophy in November, trailed by Hacken and Hammarby.
Somewhat thwarted by an offset calendar, the league still has a strong following in its home country with huge crowds backing clubs such as Hammarby IF as they competed in the UEFA Women’s Champions league this season. It also enjoys a broadcasting viewership on Viaplay.
It was previously synonymous with big names in the game, such as that of Marta, as well as being the home of most of the Swedish national team who have consistently performed at top level in international competitions. It is a league that could be sparked into another ascendency, but with heavily financed European clubs scouting and snapping up the best talents, there would need to be some strong backing to fight off other European giants mentioned above.
Likewise, the Dutch league has also raised some great talents over the years. Things are quite tight at this stage of the season, with PSV and Ajax leading on 28 points, followed by Utrecht (25). Holders Twente have quite some ground to make up in fourth, on 23 points, but have a game in hand. Feyenoord closely follow on 20 points while AZ Alkmaar are the only other team into double figures on 17 points at this stage of the season. As one of the strongest developers and ultimate feeders to other top leagues, while having a country with a strong presence at international level, the Dutch league continues to hold an important place in the balance of European football.
The USA’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) was certainly the desired destination for plenty of European footballers. However, it has lost some of the momentum that it had in the past as European leagues gain pace. As more professional opportunities emerge, the number of European players flocking to the USA for opportunities has dwindled. It has also been subject to a number of allegations pertaining to sexual harassment, misconduct and emotional abuse, all of which have further sunk its profile.
Despite this, it is still considered as one of the top leagues, pairing homegrown talent with imports from all over. It remains one of the most followed women’s football leagues in stadiums and in broadcasting. Orlando Pride lifted the most recent edition to capture their maiden title, with signing Barbra Banda scoring the all-important goal to win the play-off against Washington Spirit.
As things head forward, San Diego Wave have also attracted the signature of Jonas Eidevall, former Arsenal coach, who replaces Casey Stoney. This altogether with an expansion in the number of competitive teams to sixteen. However, as noted below, the opportunity in the USA for a professional football contract has expanded, following the introduction of a second professional league.
New Professional Leagues
While France’s league is by no means new, it is into its first season as a professional league. The name of Olympique Lyonnais is one synonymous with plenty of European glory, but like the Spanish counterpart, the only other side to have offered some challenge is the wealthy Paris Saint-Germain. For much of its life, the French league has struggled to gain an excited following, precisely because the other clubs have been so cut off.
Led by a former President of Lyon’s women’s football team, Jean-Michel Aulas, and former Executive Director for Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan, Andreea Koenig, the French league formerly known as the Arkema Division 1 is now known as the Arkema Premiere League. Behind that name-change, is a structured and long-term approach to lifting the league to a professional status, while also addressing the second division with the aim of ensuring the gap between the two is reasonable.
An injection of cash is backing the league changes. However, crucially, Aulas and Koenig have claimed a balanced approach between incentive and obligation for clubs to avoid the misgivings of other leagues that pulled the professional trigger earlier and are now dealing with unforeseen chasms between tiers and clubs. This includes a grace period for newly-promoted clubs to meet the minimum requirements of the top tier. There are also adjustments in league fixtures to best accommodate teams who partake in the UEFA Women’s Champions League for them to lead with the load.
Appearing well-researched on every front, the setup has also been formed by looking at other leading women’s sports with the aim of capitalising on their lessons as well. The minimum requirements also extend to broadcasting with a six-year partnership with Canal+.
As things stand, Lyon still lead the pack on 31 points, followed by PSG on 28, with Paris FC in third on 24. However, Dijon has been among those teams pushing forward in fourth on 20, with Fleury following on 17 points. Time will tell, but the French league may be one to keep an eye on as the next few years unfold.
Across the Atlantic, Canada is a nation that will be testing out a new professional league in April, dubbed the Northern Super League. It will feature six teams: AFC Toronto, Calgary Wild, Halifax Tides, Montreal Roses, Ottawa Rapid and Vancouver Rise. It is run by Project 8, a company that is co-founded by former Canadian player, Diana Matheson.
Having been a country has shipped its best players abroad, the league could be a new pathway with the hopes of growing the interest domestically in the sport which still is considered a minority one in the country. Lydia Bedford is among the more high-profile arrivals in the league, leading Calgary Wild, but there will be plenty of competition for the Canadian competition, with the USA’s NWSL expansion and a second competitive professional league.
In fact, the USA is home to two leagues, as the USL Super League is running alongside the established NWSL, and features eight teams in its debut season: Brooklyn, Carolina Ascent, Dallas Trinity, DC Power Football Club, Fort Lauderdale United, Lexington SC, Spokane Zephyr and Tampa Bay. The 2025 season could welcome eight more teams to the fold.
Brooklyn currently lead the pack with 29 points following fourteen games. They are trailed by a tightly knit Dallas Trinity (23), Carolina Ascent (21), Fort Lauderdale (20) and Tampa Bay Sun (19). The league is currently on break and picks up again in February. While it is too early to determine the success of the venture, with matches streamed on Youtube and backed by extensive media coverage on its home platform, a lack of accessibility or visibility will surely not be its downfall.
Supporting Leagues
While budget-fuelled leagues continue to emerge and shape the game in their own ways, football has always been a sport of the masses. There are several leagues which have a different lens on them as they continue to pave the way for emerging stars in their own way.
Benfica lead the Portuguese top-tier on course to defend their title and gain a fifth consecutive one with 30 points. However, they are closely followed by neighbours Braga (26) and Sporting CP (25). Featuring twelve teams, the mid-table is tightly packed, with four points separating fourth-placed Torreense and seventh-placed Racing Almada.
The league continues to grow, enjoying visibility on the subscription-based Portuguese Football Federation channel, Canal 11. However, with Benfica’s continued domination levelling out also on the European stage, and as top players becoming consistently picked off by bigger clubs, it is a league that might need some rethinking in the next few years.
Belgium’s Women’s Super League features just eight teams and like the Italian league it also features a split to determine its champion. League giants Anderlecht currently find themselves second place on 29 points, trailing Oud-Heverlee Leuven by two points.
However, the two have already separated themselves from the mid-table pack. Standard (20) and Genk (18) lead that battle, closely followed by Club Brugge (16) and Westerlo (15), with just two places available for the championship fight following the split. Although of a good level, this is certainly a league that has struggled to go the next rung in recent years.
England’s second tier, the Barclays Women’s Championship, provides teams an opportunity to build toward the prolific Women’s Super League while having access to build a wider fanbase via the decision to replace the FA channel with a Youtube channel to broadcast the second-tier competition.
Currently mid-way through the season, things are tight with Bristol City and Birmingham City both tied at the top on 20 points and just a point ahead of the London City Lionesses and Durham. Battling relegation are newly promoted Portsmouth (2 points), who are led by Sheffield United (4 points) and Blackburn Rovers (6 points). Although usually offering a tight race at the top and at the bottom, the ability of promoted clubs to retain their place at the top tier continues to be real battle for Championship sides. A drop is real danger as finances and dreams of professional football slope off sharply.
Meanwhile, further up the globe, the Scottish Women’s Premier League is another league that is good to keep an eye on. It has tossed up some greats, including Erin Cuthbert, Kim Little, Samantha Kerr and Caroline Weir.
Glasgow City currently lead with 44 points in a bid to return to their throne. Rangers follow suit in second on 39 points, closely trailed by Hearts (38) and Hibernian (36). Last year’s winners, Celtic, have struggled to maintain pace at the top while handling both the Champions League and domestic league commitments, finding themselves in fifth on 35 points.
The rest of the pack tapers off, but the top five will certainly be battling it out knowing that a trophy awaits at the end of the season, but also that two sides claim a spot in next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions league.
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