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Television coverage of women’s sport generated a record total of 397 million viewing hours in 2025, according to a report from the Women’s Sport Trust (WST).
Key details:
- Record total beats previous high of 384 million set in 2023
- Coverage across free-to-air (FTA) and pay-TV platforms exceeded 10,000 hours for the first time ever
- Sky Sports delivered 69 per cent of total coverage hours, and FTA broadcasters generated 79 per cent of total viewing hours
- A total of 48 million UK viewers watched women’s sport in 2025, up from the previous year’s figure of 45.2 million
- Women’s sport accounted for eight per cent of primetime sports coverage in 2025, up two per cent year-over-year (YoY)
- On key channels, women’s sport generated 13 per cent of total primetime sports viewer hours
Context:
2025 was a landmark year for women’s sport, with the Uefa Women’s Euros and the Women’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) both taking place. The WST notes, however, that domestic women’s sport delivered its second-most watched year, with 40 million UK viewers tuning in to national competitions. Meanwhile, UK female viewership of women’s sport also grew to a new high of 41 per cent in 2025.
The WST found a rising crossover in audiences of men’s and women’s sport, suggesting women’s sports are increasingly consumed as part of broader sports viewing habits. For instance, 55 per cent of Women’s Super League (WSL) viewers also watched the Premier League, which was 12 per cent higher YoY.
Away from television, social media continues to drive major visibility, with the top ten global women’s sports leagues seeing stronger YoY growth in video views than the top ten men’s properties. English soccer player Chloe Kelly was deemed the top British female athlete on both Instagram and TikTok, with 6.8 million Instagram engagements and 52 million TikTok views last year. Out of the top 20 British female athletes for Instagram engagement, 12 competed in either the Women’s Euros or the Women’s RWC.
Comment:
“Big tournaments remind us what’s possible for women’s sport, but major-event visibility alone isn’t the finish line,” said Tammy Parlour, WST chief executive.
“While reach is at record levels, depth of engagement and consistent domestic viewing still lag behind peak years, underlining the need to convert this major-event attention into regular habits.
“The evidence shows growth comes when the system works together, with consistent coverage, smart scheduling, clear signposting between major moments and domestic competitions, and content that engages different audiences.”
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