The study by FIFA and WTO reveals that women’s football spurs global economic growth and engagement
Women’s football has experienced exponential growth in recent years, significantly altering the global sports landscape. This rise has been fueled by the emergence of world-class women players, which has led to increased media coverage, rapid commercialization, and heightened engagement worldwide. The ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year showcased this growth, shattering numerous records with a global audience of 2 billion and 1.98 million spectators across 10 stadiums.
“We had eight debutants and many countries around the world who suddenly realized they had a chance to participate in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 because we decided to expand the competition,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “The tournament transformed the face of women’s football, appealing to governments, member associations, broadcasters, and media alike. And, as this study shows, it generated significant outcomes for global and local people and economies.”
“Football and major events like the FIFA Women’s World Cup can stimulate trade and investment and create sustainable economic opportunities,” said WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. “The WTO is very pleased to participate in this exploratory work and is hopeful that the findings can lead to more internal policy discussions on how sports and football, as a sector, can also be used as a developmental tool.”
The Goal Economy report, developed by OpenEconomics — an organization that supports institutions and companies in designing investment policies and projects — is the latest example of the collaboration between FIFA and the WTO since they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in September 2022 to explore how best to use football to promote economic inclusion.
Economic Impact of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
One section of the report, titled ‘The Development Goal,’ highlights the economic impact of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. It details the expenditure of USD 640 million, including FIFA’s record USD 499 million investment, along with infrastructure investment and tourist spending, and illustrates how these expenditures ripple through various sectors of the global economy.
A key finding from the report is that the tournament contributed almost USD 1.9 billion to the global gross domestic product, created 38,204 jobs, and added USD 932 million to household incomes.
The study explains the primary economic impacts as direct, indirect, and induced impacts, and provides graphics to show the trade flows across sectors resulting from the tournament, as well as trade between the host countries and the rest of the world.
The report also details how the economic impact contributes to women’s empowerment, noting that many of the new jobs are in female-intensive sectors. Additionally, it highlights the tournament’s impact on women’s football in Australia, showing increases in club memberships, registered children, stadium attendances, and female participation in schools following the first FIFA Women’s World Cup held in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Growth of Women’s Football
Another section of the report, titled ‘The Long Journey of Women’s Football,’ quantifies the growth of women’s football, with increasing viewing figures, prize money, and a growing transfer market.
For instance, the number of women and girls playing organized football has risen by 24% since 2019, reaching 16.6 million. The report also discusses women’s development programs to demonstrate how the game’s growth has empowered women and highlights the digital presence of top players.
Background
In September 2022, the WTO and FIFA agreed to collaborate on examining how international trade and football can serve as catalysts for economic growth and social inclusion. This partnership aims to create synergies concerning the economic dimension of sport and empowerment, especially for least-developed countries (LDCs) and women. Cooperation within the context of the WTO’s cotton program is also a central element of the agreement.
