Barclays will make the largest commercial investment in women’s sport that the UK has seen after agreeing a new £30m deal to sponsor the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship for the next three years.
The deal sees the bank double the figure it has spent in the existing three-year agreement which began in 2019, which has seen it sponsor only the WSL, and Barclays will now become the Championship’s first ever title sponsor for 2022-25, starting next season.
They have also extended their long-standing sponsorship of the Premier League until 2025, with the announcement coming 20 years after that relationship began in 2001 when the men’s top flight was known as the ‘Barclaycard Premiership’.
Barclays’ investment in girls’ grassroots football is now set to increase too, with the FA setting a target of seeing 20,000 schools in the country offering football to girls by 2024.
The FA’s director of the women’s professional game, Kelly Simmons, 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.”
Both the WSL and the Championship contain 12 teams, with the dozen top-flight sides all having to meet fully-professional criteria, while the second-tier clubs must compete on at least a semi-professional basis, with some clubs in the league training full-time. Liverpool are currently four points clear at the top of the Championship.
“We are delighted to announce the agreements,” said Barclays’ Sasha Wiggins, group head of public policy and corporate responsibility. “Collectively we have been through extraordinarily difficult times over the last 18 months and over that time football has done much to help raise spirits and bring people together. Yet we are also aware that this is an important time to drive equity across the game.
“The doubling of our investment in women’s and girls’ football, whilst continuing to support men’s football, and providing finance to the smallest football organisations through the new community fund, is the right way to support the future of the game for everyone’s benefit.”
Sports data analysts Nielsen believe the new investment will be the biggest by a brand in UK women’s sport to date, with the deal announced in 2019 having set a new record at that time.
The Premier League’s chief commercial officer Will Brass added: “Over two decades Barclays has demonstrated their support for football, both on and off the pitch. And together we share an ambition of creating opportunities at all levels and ensuring everyone is welcome to enjoy the game. We look forward to further developing our relationship over the coming years.”
