03.02.2025
Social Media Is a Key Pillar to the Rise of Women’s Football
Women's football has progressed, and with that society as well. One of the key pillars to the continuous development of the game has been visibility; typically given by traditional forms of media like broadcast, radio and news articles. Social media has proven to be just as powerful and if not, more because of it's global reach.

There is a direct parallel between the most followed clubs in the world and their successful progression as well as adoration of their players. FC Barcelona femeni is the most followed women’s club on Instagram, this putting aside clubs who use a singular account for both the men and women. With a total of 6,7m followers, they take a 2,7m lead on second place Chelsea. Barcelona who have 4x ballon d’or wins combining both Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati, each with 3,3m and 1,9m Instagram followers respectively, have had global exposure over the past few years and reached higher peaks of visibility and interest in the club.

FC Barcelona, Barca v FC Levante Badalona – Liga F Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati play during the match between FC Barcelona Women and FC Levante Badalona, corresponding to week 17 of the Liga F, at the Johan Cruyff Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on January 11, 2025. Barcelona Barcelona Spain PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xUrbanandsportx originalFilename:urbanandsport-fcbarcel250111_npLju.jpg

help FROM OUTSIDE

A prime example of a key domino effect derived from social media involves key parties from men’s football. This include collaboration posts between the men and women’s handles when the women’s side achieves an important football feat, or when men’s players congratulate, repost a graphic from the women’s account. This in turn exposes moments, players, matches and faces to an audience who would not necessarily look for content and information around women’s football. By clicking a few buttons, this can expose the women’s game to a global level like no other platform before.

The way social media works is key as well; it is easy. You know that Alexia Putellas won the ballon d’or twice just from looking at one photo with a text. You know that Naomi Girma was the first women’s $1m transfer or that there’s a Manchester derby at Old Trafford this weekend. A new audience accumulates information around women’s football and at some point, it is normal to know names of players, where they play, the fact that there’s an El Clasico happening over the weekend or that there’s a women’s Euros this summer.

cause and effect

There is a direct correlation between numbers of fans attending stadiums and social media popularity and engagement. While following is a crucial part of exposure, the engagement the audience gives to both the club and players profiles, are equally important. Every match Barcelona plays in Spain is a sell out, everyone wants to watch them play. And while, Chelsea FC women have 4m followers and Arsenal 1,9m, the Gunners have a higher engagement ratio. Just looking at two posts from the clubs, Arsenal posted a carrousel after their loss against Chelsea in the FA Women’s Super League and it has received 30,6k likes so far. Meanwhile, Chelsea posted a photo of their $1m signing and has received 20,3k likes.

Arsenal women had an average attendance of 29,999 fans in the 2023/24 season. Their most used home ground is Meadow Park where the max attendance is 4,500 and their secondary home ground is the Emirates Stadium with a capacity of 60,000. Chelsea, on the other hand, had an average attendance of 10,648 in the same season.

Engagement and visibility are key to the continuous growth. Social media should be taken as seriously as any other means of communication. Club and national team accounts need to learn using this possibility to their advantage and as leverage to further improve the women’s game.

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