Sports economist Dominik Schreyer explains what draws fans to the stadium, how Arsenal built Europe’s strongest women’s football audience, and why German clubs risk falling behind in the race for spectators.
The relationship between women’s football clubs and brands is shifting in a way that feels less like sponsorship and more like cultural authorship. The familiar model, a logo on a shirt in exchange for visibility, is being replaced by something more layered: co-creation partnerships that blend football with fashion, music, lifestyle, and storytelling.
Arsenal Women recorded a significant rise in revenue during the 2024–25 season, driven by strong growth in commercial and matchday income, but the club’s latest accounts show it remains reliant on financial backing from its parent organisation.
Arsenal and Chelsea have emerged as the biggest financial winners in women’s football, topping Deloitte’s 2025 revenue rankings.