A significant fixture in the Women’s Super League has drawn attention to the challenges of scheduling in the modern football calendar. The recent meeting between Arsenal and Chelsea, a match between the reigning European and domestic champions, attracted a television audience of just 71,000 viewers. This figure has prompted discussions within the league about the timing of its broadcast matches.
The broadcast in question aired at noon on a Saturday, a slot that appears to have limited its reach. Industry analysis suggests this early weekend timing presents several conflicts. It coincides with grassroots and youth football commitments for many families, and on that particular Saturday, it directly competed with a high-profile Premier League match that kicked off just half an hour earlier, alongside a full schedule of EFL fixtures.
This season marks a shift in broadcast strategy. The majority of televised WSL matches are now scheduled for lunchtime slots on weekends, a change from the traditionally favoured Sunday afternoon timings. While these earlier times were adopted in part to better accommodate match-going supporters, the data indicates a trade-off with broadcast viewership. Last season, when more games were shown in later Sunday slots, average audiences were substantially higher.
The current broadcast landscape sees multiple football competitions vying for viewer attention simultaneously. An early Saturday Premier League game regularly draws over a million viewers, while the combined audience for concurrent EFL matches can reach approximately half a million. This places WSL broadcasts in a highly competitive environment.
Despite the concerns raised by this specific audience number, other metrics offer a more positive outlook. League sources report that engagement through short-form video highlights and social media channels is showing strong growth. Furthermore, the audience for this noon fixture was reportedly higher than for similar timed matches in the previous campaign.
The situation underscores a broader challenge for the league: converting the heightened interest from major international tournament successes into sustained domestic growth. While stadium attendances saw a notable surge following a historic European victory two years ago, early indications this season suggest maintaining that momentum is complex, with overall league attendance figures showing only marginal movement.
The league’s partnership with its primary broadcast partner remains central to its visibility. With dozens of matches scheduled for these early weekend windows this season, finding a balance between fan convenience at the grounds and maximizing television reach will be a key focus for the WSL moving forward.