Strategic Overhaul of WSL Broadcast Slots
The Women’s Super League (WSL) is set to implement a significant change to its broadcast strategy for the 2026-27 campaign. Following a period of consultation with clubs, fans, and broadcasters, the league will introduce six distinct television slots to diversify match scheduling and maximize viewership.
Last season, the league faced criticism for concentrating the majority of televised fixtures into Saturday and Sunday lunchtime windows. This approach led to multiple games kicking off simultaneously, which diluted the audience and frustrated fans unable to watch several matches live. The new schedule aims to spread fixtures across the weekend to alleviate these clashes.
Broadcast Rights and New Kick-off Times
Sky Sports, which holds the rights to 163 of the 182 matches, will maintain its Saturday 12:45pm and Sunday 12:00pm slots. However, the broadcaster has been granted new regular windows on Friday at 7:00pm and Sunday at 6:00pm. The BBC will continue to broadcast 19 matches, maintaining its Saturday 12:30pm and Sunday 2:30pm slots.
The return of the Sunday evening slot is a notable development. While previously dropped due to poor matchday attendance figures, the slot remained a high performer for Sky, averaging 144,000 viewers during the 2024-25 season. To balance attendance concerns with broadcast performance, the league will shift the Sunday evening kick-off to 6:00pm, with plans to prioritize high-profile derbies for both the Friday and Sunday evening slots.
Context and Future Outlook
The decision follows internal concerns regarding viewing figures for lunchtime fixtures, which struggled to attract casual audiences. For example, Sky’s coverage of Arsenal vs. Liverpool and Arsenal vs. Chelsea in the noon slot saw average audiences of 59,000 and 71,000 respectively. By spreading the schedule, the league hopes to improve engagement for both the primary rights holder, Sky Sports, and the BBC.
The full fixture list for the 2026-27 season is scheduled for release this Thursday. Fans and stakeholders will be watching to see how the new 6:00pm Sunday slot is managed to avoid direct conflicts with Premier League programming.
