NEW AUDIENCES: How women’s sport is becoming one of sport’s biggest growth drivers

The mainstreaming of women's sport is anticipated to become a significant growth driver for the entire sports industry, necessitating consistent investment and structural support rather than being treated as a passing fad. The World Economic Forum's 2026 Sports for People and Planet report highlighted four major factors reshaping the global sports economy. The fourth of these factors, women's sport becoming more mainstream, stands out as particularly noteworthy.

In 2025, professional women's sports revenues are expected to surpass $2.35 billion, more than tripling the 2022 figure. The past few years have witnessed unforgettable images of women in sports that have transformed their visibility. Amy Hunt set the British press ablaze by becoming the first athlete, male or female, to secure four gold medals at a single European Championships. Meanwhile, South Africa's Gerda Steyn claimed a seventh Two Oceans title, breaking her own Comrades Marathon record in the process.

In tennis, the Wimbledon final between Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova drew an average of 1.9 million viewers, marking ESPN's most-watched women's championship match of the tournament. The growth of women's sport was also evident through new franchises, larger television audiences, and enhanced advertising impact. The 2026 Women's T20 World Cup broke records with 245,815 fans attending across 25 match days, becoming the largest edition in the competition's history.

It also held the title of the most-watched Women's T20 World Cup in the UK, with over 15 million viewer hours on Sky channels. The final alone attracted 678,000 spectators, filling 90% of Lord's Cricket Stadium.

However, while this development signals a major shift, challenges persist, exemplified by the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) and the sparse crowds it attracted. The question then arises: what does mainstreaming women's sport truly entail? The WEF contends that women's sport has transitioned from a niche category to a major economic opportunity.

According to its report, soccer and basketball contribute to 80% of women's sport revenues, and investors are increasingly viewing the sector as a serious commercial proposition. The report underscores dedicated investment funds, professional leagues, and growing media exposure as proof that women's sport is becoming ingrained in the global sports economy, rather than remaining on its periphery.

Rendani Ramovha, Canal+ senior vice-president of sport content in English and Portuguese-speaking Africa, emphasized that true mainstreaming extends beyond television audiences. "The challenge is that you need resources and funding. It can't just be broadcaster led, it has to be federation led," Ramovha told Daily Maverick. "I don't believe we are at a point in Africa where we can call it mainstream.

We still need significant investment from sponsors and federations to establish the right systems and professional structures."

SuperSport attempted to foster this growth during the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town by employing an all-female production crew of 120 women, a pioneering move described by SuperSport as a world-first for a broadcaster covering a major international sporting event. Ramovha noted that at the time, such an initiative was viewed as innovation rather than normal practice.