There's new recognition that women's soccer is good business. That's according to Alexi Lalas, the former U.S. soccer star who is now an analyst with Fox Sports. He believes the influence of business and brands have been crucial to the vitality of women’s soccer, saying the sport “can’t get by on just cheering” anymore. 

“Whether it’s the NWSL, FIFA and what they’re doing with the World Cup, people are realizing there’s gold in them women’s soccer hills,” Lalas said. “That’s a good thing, because if it’s just cheering, or being altruistic and quote-unquote doing the right thing, you’re never going to put in the full effort it deserves, and it absolutely deserves it.”

All indications are women’s soccer is moving well beyond the cheering phase. As it rebounds from scandal, the National Women’s Soccer League announced expansion to its 13th and 14th cities this year. Bay FC, the new club in the San Francisco Bay area, is paying a record $53 million expansion fee.

FIFA’s benchmark study on women’s soccer worldwide indicated “encouraging signs” of revenue growth in 2022, with 7% of pro clubs generating more than $1 million, while teams recorded year-on-year commercial revenue growth of 33%. Women’s leagues experienced year-on-year commercial revenue growth of 24%, the study showed.

The world’s attention will be on women’s soccer this summer as the World Cup is contested in Australia and New Zealand and the U.S. women’s team defends its back-to-back championships. It is the biggest and richest women's soccer tourney ever, with 32 teams, up from 24 in the last World Cup in 2019, and prize money of $110 million, a threefold increase from 2019. FIFA’s women’s football partners are Visa and Xero; sponsors include Anheuser-Busch InBev, Globant, McDonald's and Unilever’s personal care brands.

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