From hype to habit: The 2026 UEFA Business Case for Women's Football
Saturday, May 23, 2026
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Ahead of a sold-out UEFA Women's Champions League final between Barcelona and OL Lyonnes, key stakeholders came together in Oslo to discuss how to build a sustainable future for the women's game.
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The fifth edition of the UEFA Business Case for Women's Football once again brought together some of sport's most influential voices, with panels and keynote speeches exploring how on-pitch success, strong governance and commercial growth can work hand-in-hand as the women's game continues to evolve.
"This has become the event in women's football to gather and discuss the specifics necessary to develop the business side of the game," said UEFA director of women's football Nadine Kessler. "We are very proud this is becoming an international event for partners, rights-holders and other experts in sport."
The importance of leadership
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin joined former Arsenal and England defender Alex Scott for an opening discussion focusing on why strong leadership remains essential to the continued growth of women's football.
"It's not only essential to invest in the women's game, but also to speak to sponsors, broadcasters and other partners about why it's worth investing," said Mr Čeferin. "That's how everyone can raise the level of our beloved game."
The theme of leadership continued into the panel featuring RB Leipzig CEO Tatjana Haenni and BK Häcken president Anders Billström, who shared perspectives on the sporting, commercial and social value of women's club football.
"It's not just about investing millions, it's about doing the job right," said Haenni. "Women's football has to have a seat at the table – it has to be able to influence decisions, it has to be part of discussions about budgets, strategy and new commercial partners."
Strengthening the football
Another theme of this year's Business Case was the importance of protecting and strengthening the game on the pitch. UEFA deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA Executive Committee member and Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness, England head coach Sarina Wiegman and Manchester United defender Fridolina Rolfö explored how European competitions can continue to support a player-centric ecosystem and drive standards across the game.
"The speed of the growth of the women's game has been amazing and has never been seen before," said Marchetti. "But we can't lose patience, because there is so much to do to catch up. We need to keep investment at the right pace."
The discussion also considered the relationship between club and international football, the importance of competitive balance and why Europe continues to attract many of the world's top players.
"The Women's Champions League is the highlight for every player – it's the biggest event of the year," said Rolfö. "The competition has played a big part in my development. Playing against different teams all over Europe is challenging and helps you grow as a team and a player. It's the best and so competitive."
That theme continued in a keynote session featuring Nadine Kessler, UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein and European Football Clubs (EFC) managing director Charlie Marshall, who also serve as joint managing directors of UC3.
Together, they examined the sporting and commercial success story of the 2025/26 Women's Champions League, which featured an 18-team league phase for the first time. A second women's club competition – the Women's Europa Cup – was also introduced last season.
"We built a system with two European competitions, creating opportunity alongside quality," said Kessler. "The numbers don't lie – they show that the changes we have made are delivering real results. This is about more than just football – it's about building a sustainable and thriving ecosystem."
Investing for long-term success
As investment in women's football continues to increase, attention is turning towards how and where that money should be spent to deliver sustainable progress.
Bringing together global perspectives on the issue, FC Barcelona director of professional sports Xavier O'Callaghan, Club Tigres vice president Carlos Valenzuela and Arna-Bjørnar defender Maren Mjelde explored how clubs and leagues can balance immediate demands with long-term priorities to achieve both sporting and financial sustainability.
With the help of audience participation, the discussion examined where targeted investment can have the greatest impact, from player salaries and infrastructure to staffing, player development and youth pathways.
The panel was unanimous on the importance of investing in both staffing and youth pathways.
"It's very important to invest in youth football," said Mjelde. "I didn't have academies or dedicated coaches growing up, but it's the best way to get more talent and grow the game."
O'Callaghan added: "Investing in staff is crucial – they are not just the people taking care of the players, but those creating the conditions to generate revenue."
Building lasting fan habits
Another central theme of this year's event was how to transform growing interest in women's football into lasting engagement, creating recurring fan behaviours and sustainable long-term growth for the game.
Arsenal chief commercial officer Juliet Slot provided a clear example of this strategy in action, presenting a case study on how the club has transformed women's matchdays into a powerful engine for growth.
"We're spending seven figures on our marketing of women's football, but we are making so much more money than we ever did, which we are investing in the experience of the supporters," said Slot. "For me, you can't invest a little, you have to invest a lot. But you will get your returns – you just have to invest with patience."
Women's Super League CEO Nikki Doucet, FC Badalona Women CEO Pedro Iriondo, New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke and Frank Rutten, Disney+ senior vice president of the Sports EMEA Media Network, then explored the topic in more detail in a dedicated panel discussion.
"We have to drive visibility and make it as easy as possible to be a fan," said Doucet. "Broadcasters are so important, as is trying to find a predictable kick-off time for women's football."
"We need to create viewing habits – when is the match happening, where is it being held," agreed Rutten. "It's important to create consistency for viewers."
Together, the conversations at the Business Case for Women's Football helped leaders across the game make the strategic decisions needed to further drive a sustainable and thriving future.