Airbnb has signed a multi-year deal with WSL Football as its official accommodation and experiences partner, headlined by a £1 million Player Accommodation Fund providing short-term housing credits to players transferring between WSL and WSL2 clubs across three seasons. Each eligible player can access up to three credits of $2,000 USD. The partnership also targets fan travel, with Airbnb data showing a 15%+ year-on-year rise in bookings around WSL fixture weekends, extending the brand's broader commitment to women's football as Official Supporter of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027.
"We aim to put the players and fans at the heart of everything we do and the partnership with Airbnb showcases this. Building an away fan culture is integral to the growth of the game and Airbnb want to support our clubs and fans with this, from accommodation through to experiences."
— Zarah Al-Kudcy, Chief Revenue Officer, WSL Football
🔗 https://news.airbnb.com/en-uk/airbnb-wsl-1million-fund/
Insurance giant Progressive has agreed a multi-year partnership with the Chicago Sky, described by the WNBA franchise as the largest sponsorship deal in its history (although the exact figure was not publicly disclosed). Progressive will become presenting partner of the Sky Foundation's reading literacy programme and receive prominent arena branding including logo placement inside the free-throw circle, a signal that major insurers are now treating WNBA franchises as tier-one sponsorship assets.
“Women’s sports are experiencing incredible momentum, and we’re excited to support a league and team that are inspiring fans, elevating female athletes, and creating powerful connections within their communities. We’re thrilled to work alongside Chicago Sky to make meaningful impact both on and off the court.”
— Sean Freeman, Media Business Leader, Progressive
🔗 https://coverager.com/progressive-signs-largest-sponsorship-deal-in-chicago-sky-history/
Trybe Ventures, the primary capital partner of the Women's TGL golf league, has announced seven new investors including World No. 1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, basketball icon Diana Taurasi, Olympic hockey gold medalist Hilary Knight and WNBA stars Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike, Napheesa Collier and Gabriela Jaquez. They join founding members Alex Morgan, Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach. No deal value was disclosed, but the cross-sport athlete-investor model signals growing conviction in women's golf as a standalone commercial property.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this investment supporting WTGL and helping grow women’s golf in a new and innovative way with a team-based format in a traditionally individual sport. Women’s sports are experiencing incredible growth, and leagues like WTGL are shaping the future by creating new opportunities to connect athletes and fans.”
— Aryna Sabalenka, Professional Tennis Player
Lidl Ireland has been confirmed as Title Event Partner for Katie Taylor's final professional fight, a homecoming bout against undefeated French fighter Flora Pili at Croke Park on 5 September, broadcast live on DAZN. The fight will be the first professional boxing event at the stadium since Muhammad Ali fought there in 1972. The partnership extends Lidl's track record of backing women's sport in Ireland and attaches the brand to one of the most commercially significant women's sporting occasions of 2026.
The UK government has announced five new all-weather cricket domes across Birmingham, Bolton, Derby, Newcastle and Nottingham, backed by a £3 million investment matched by the ECB, doubling last year's spend. The announcement was timed to coincide with the launch of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, which England and Wales are hosting, with all five sites designed to support the surge in women's and girls' participation that has seen 2,000+ new teams formed since 2024.
"It’s fantastic to see investment being made in communities so that people can play all year round, whatever the weather. With more and more women and girls getting involved in cricket, opportunities like this can make a real difference in helping them develop their skills and fall in love with the game."
— Nat Sciver-Brunt, England Women's Cricket Captain
The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), the first professional women's softball league backed by Major League Baseball, has signed a multi-year deal naming StubHub as its Official Ticket Marketplace and Open Distribution Partner. The deal expands an existing Athletes Unlimited Basketball partnership with StubHub and gives fans a new secondary market route to AUSL games nationwide.
“The AUSL is building something special for softball fans, and we want to be part of it from the ground up. This partnership gives fans more ways to get to games and puts StubHub at the center of one of the most exciting growth stories in women’s sports right now,”
— Manny Lorras, Global Head of Basketball & Hockey Partnerships, StubHub
🔗 https://theausl.com/news/stubhub-named-official-ticket-marketplace-of-the-ausl/
