FIFA Benchmarking Report Women’s FootballSETTING THE PACE0401008060200 0 2 0 2 2
1President’s forewordTo boost further growth, and in line with our vision to make football truly global, we have set out a dedicated strategy focusing on four key areas aimed at reforming competitions, increasing the commercial value, modernising development programmes and enhancing professionalisation. Our goal is to bring the women’s game into the mainstream, ensuring that opportunities in football exist for girls and women globally – both on and off the pitch. As we strongly commit to maintaining the momentum and accelerating development between every edition of the FIFA Women’s World CupTM, it is our role to contribute towards strengthening national club competitions for the continuous development of the women’s game. With club football strongly gaining in popularity across many stakeholders, there is a need for everyone to gain a deeper understanding of the women’s game at club level. Clubs are the foundation of our game, and by creating specific tools that paint a picture of the women’s club landscape, we aim to increase the data available on women’s football and support decision-making processes. With this in mind, we are proud to publish the second edition of the FIFA Benchmarking Report: Women’s Football. FIFA now wishes to further build upon the solid basis laid through the first edition of the report and to continue monitoring the growth of the women’s game. The document provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the women’s football landscape at both league and club level through the participation of 30 elite leagues and 294 clubs. This edition, as in last year’s, assesses the reality of the game across key areas: sporting, governance, financial landscape, fan engagement and players. I truly hope that, by presenting emerging challenges and opportunities, this report can support many stakeholders in guiding future decisions within our beloved game. It is only by working together and consolidating our efforts that we can continue to strengthen women’s football and amplify the benefits of football for society. Yours in football,Gianni InfantinoFIFA PresidentAll over the world, girls and women are getting passionately involved in the game, both on and off the pitch, using the sport to break down barriers, and this is exactly where FIFA is leading the way by accelerating the growth of women’s football.
2 / FIFA Benchmarking Report: Women’s Football3President’s foreword 1Contents 3Executive summary 4Introduction and methodology 8Section-by-section analysis Sporting 10Governance 24Financial landscape 34Fan engagement 44Players 54The industry expert’s view 65 League snapshots 66Glossary of terms 82Basis of preparation 83Contents
4 / FIFA Benchmarking Report: Women’s Football5Executive summarySetting the paceThroughout 2022, FIFA and the...
