Women’s sport isn’t a trend. It’s a long-overdue recognition of women’s performance, influence and impact in sports.
Women’s sport has entered a breakout era: investment is rising, viewership is climbing, and brands are waking up to the fact that this isn’t just a ‘good cause’. It is quickly becoming one of the most culturally charged and commercially promising brand-building arenas in modern marketing.
However, leaning into women’s sports marketing requires strategic thought and investment that goes far beyond copy-pasting what works for men’s sports.
Leaders from PepsiCo, FootballCo, Volkswagen, The Mettleset and M+C Saatchi raise a crucial question: Has the time come for brands to move from being spectators to becoming architects of the next era of women’s sport?
This feature explores how MENA brands can step into women’s sport not as temporary benefactors, but as long-term builders of an ecosystem set to define the next decade of fandom, culture and commercial growth.
The untapped ‘white space’
Dawn Barnable, Founder, The Mettleset, says the regional potential is enormous.
She says, “Women in sport are powerful. Engaging women in sport, whether women’s sports or women who are sports fans, remains one of the biggest opportunities in marketing. Women are among the fastest-growing fan segments in sports from F1 to the NFL, and globally, women’s sport is seeing record interest, attendance and valuations. Regionally, 44 per cent of Saudis now report following the Saudi Women’s Premier League.”
What truly stands out for marketers, however, is the untapped white space: a rare chance to build brand meaning and be a part of something bigger than just momentum, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity or a sponsorship play.
“This is no longer a CSR exercise; it’s a powerful brand-building opportunity anchored in momentum, inclusivity and cultural relevance,” argues Amanda Fox-Pryke, Senior Client Director, M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Middle East.
“It’s not just a sponsorship opportunity; it’s about shaping cultural progress,” adds Virginie Ludmer, Marketing Director, Volkswagen Middle East.
She explains how Volkswagen, which stands for progress and movement, and shares the tagline ‘moving people forward’, supports women’s sport with purpose, championing it through initiatives such as local partnerships with Qatar Foundation. Its campaigns, such as #NotWomensFootball, challenge outdated perceptions and celebrate the skills of female athletes.
Fox-Pryke says, “Women’s sport is an exciting, progressive moment for brands to engage new audiences, unlock fresh revenue streams and tap into the rapidly expanding female sports economy. With record-breaking global viewership, fast-growing female fanbases, and exponential engagement, MENA brands now have access to an emotionally invested audience that rewards authenticity.”
The case for early adoption
Women’s sport represents a chance for marketers to lead rather than follow.
Andy Jackson, SVP Middle East, Footballco, says, “Brands that associate with women’s football today can be part of its growth story, shaping it and being recognised as supporters – both now and in the future. This isn’t something often considered in men’s sports because the opportunity is rarely available.”
The Mettleset’s Barnable adds, “Too often, brands wait to support athletes until after they’ve ‘made it’. What’s relevant is in the future. Savvy brands don’t just celebrate what’s happened; they invest in what’s next. Globally, 96 per cent of women who love sport believe it’s important for brands to support social issues; that’s a powerful opportunity. The best brands know the value of being part of the story from the start – like with the case of New Balance and Coco Gauff.”
The numbers support the narrative. According to Nielsen Sports’ and PepsiCo’s Undervalued to Unstoppable report, women’s football is projected to become one of the world’s top five sports, with a global fanbase expected to exceed 800 million by 2030.
Ibrahim Zeinelabdin, Chief Marketing Officer for Foods, PepsiCo Middle East, says, “Because the ecosystem is still developing, early partners can help set standards and earn trust, provided the investment is consistent and creates value both on and off the pitch. That offers incremental reach and deeper relevance for brands.”
As viewing access to women’s sport rises in the region, PepsiCo’s partnerships, multi-year commitments and community programmes with the UEFA Women’s Champions League, UEFA Women’s EURO and the Saudi Women’s Premier League have translated into stronger credibility and brand outcomes in the GCC region.
This growth isn’t anecdotal. The Women’s Sport Trust reports record engagement, with total viewing hours rising 16 per cent year-on-year and digital audiences growing fastest among women. Women’s sport also gives brands the opportunity to connect with younger, more diverse audiences that reward authenticity and inclusivity with lasting loyalty and long-term equity.
As the discussion progresses, one truth stands out: women’s sport is being propelled by values-driven fandom. It’s a whole new ball game, and the power plays demand a whole new strategy.
A playbook of its own
Engaging female fans in sports requires fresh creative thinking, not recycled men’s strategies. Women’s sport has its own language, values and community. Yet in the UAE and KSA, 90 per cent and 79 per cent, respectively, of female sports fans say sports organisations don’t understand them. With women controlling $31.8 trilion in global spending power, the gap isn’t just perceptual; it’s commercial.
“Brands are and shouldn’t be afraid to embrace the fact that there is a distinctly different audience and culture associated with women’s football, which presents new opportunities,” says Footballco’s Jackson.
Volkswagen Middle East’s Ludmer adds, “The sport comes with its own tone, community and sense of identity. At Volkswagen Middle East, we never simply replicate what’s worked in men’s sports. Instead, we localise our creative approach to resonate with women and girls in the region, ensuring the messaging feels authentic and relevant to their journey. Our communication always focuses on empowerment, belonging, and self-belief rather than competition alone. Through content, partnerships, or on-ground activations, we make sure the narrative reflects the real challenges and triumphs women face in sport.”
Footballco’s recent report shows that 66 per cent of women’s football fans believe the sport should be celebrated for its culture and difference from the men’s game.
Leaders also emphasise the importance of leading with collaboration.
M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Middle East’s Fox-Pryke notes that the brands winning in women’s sport are those building narratives rooted in authenticity, emotion and empowerment – qualities that mirror the collaborative spirit of the women’s game itself.
This approach resonates far more than simply replicating men’s sport campaigns.
Taking the example of Sephora’s partnership with Saudi Arabia’s AlNassr women’s football team, Jackson explains, “Sephora isn’t just aligning itself with the club’s success but also using it to underscore commitment to empowering communities through self-expression, inclusivity and authenticity – terms you wouldn’t see with male-focused partnerships.”
When brands co-create with athletes and fans, rather than speaking at them, the engagement deepens and trust follows.
This is also part of the reason M+C Group recently acquired The Women’s Sports Group (WSG) to further support clients seeking to grow ROI and asset value across women’s sport.
PepsiCo Middle East’s Zeinelabdin takes this argument a step further, calling for dedicated playbooks for every platform, occasion and event.
He says, “Show up with intent, build longer-term partnerships, and design authentic, fan-first experiences that highlight athletes’ voices and reflect the community’s values. Our best-performing pieces are player-led and behind the scenes, revealing the human side of sport. In the MENA region, we create Arabic-first content that reflects local culture and highlights role models from the Saudi Women’s Premier League alongside global stars.
“At the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final, Pepsi creates a pre-match show that brings fans into the atmosphere and the culture outside the stadium. And with Lay’s, we keep the storytelling grounded by developing relatable content that highlights real supporters and their favourite players, because that’s what fans engage with most,” he adds.
Women’s sport now sits at the intersection of spectacle and substance. Brands that take the ‘right’ turn at the intersection aren’t interrupting culture; they are embedding into it and feeding it.
This is a space where brands can build meaning, not just impressions.
A tale of influence and trust
The mentality around women in sport is shifting. Female athletes have become active participants, creators and role models within brand narratives. They are helping brands bridge trust gaps and connect closer with key audiences.
According to studies shared by Parity, people are 2.8 times more likely to act on a recommendation from a woman athlete than any other type of influencer, and 57 per cent of consumers trust female athletes to genuinely believe in the brands and products they endorse.
PepsiCo Middle East’s Zeinelabdin says, “What stands out about female athletes is the level of trust they’ve earned with fans. This shapes how we approach our own partnerships. When we partner with a football player such as Alexia Putellas, for example, we focus on her leadership and influence on sport, not just her achievements. Partnerships need to support what the athlete stands for holistically and add value to their
wider mission.”
It’s also worth noting that Lay’s is the first FMCG brand in Saudi Arabia to sponsor the Women’s Premier League, a strategic partnership focusing on empowering and supporting women across various fields and providing them with the tools they need to pursue their dreams.
Volkswagen Middle East shares a similar philosophy. Ludmer explains, “We aim to build long-term, purpose-driven relationships with such individuals. A great example is our collaboration with Zainab Al Eqabi, who was our brand ambassador for several years. Zainab embodies resilience, empowerment, and progress – values that align with Volkswagen’s DNA.”
Through Volkswagen’s partnership with the Qatar Foundation, Al Eqabi engaged with female teams, attended events and shared her personal story to inspire others.
“We also feature women athletes directly within our campaigns, such as the recent Tiguan launch, to showcase real representation and empowerment rather than tokenism,” Ludmer adds.
This relationship between brands, female athletes and the growing fandom for women’s sport in the Middle East has benefitted everyone involved.
In Saudi Arabia, female sports participation has surged more than 150 per cent since the launch of Vision 2030. More than 330,000 girls are now involved in structured sport, including female athletes, coaches, trainers and referees. Against this backdrop, fan expectations and behaviours
are evolving.
Zeinelabdin adds, “Female fandom has grown 60 per cent in five years. The 2023 Women’s World Cup reached more than 2 billion across media. In the GCC, national broadcasts of the Saudi Women’s Premier League are creating new viewing habits, especially among younger women and families. Fans increasingly reward brands that authentically invest in women’s sports, and we’re leaning into that through creative and media choices that prioritise authenticity and representation, because that’s what builds stronger affinity.”
Despite growing participation and clear audience appetite, sponsorship remains inconsistent.
The Mettleset’s Barnable says, “From the hundreds of talented athletes I speak to regularly, sponsorship – or the lack of it – remains a constant theme. Yet, research consistently shows consumers are twice as likely to buy a product endorsed by a woman athlete versus any other influencer.”
How female fans connect with female brand ambassadors – and vice versa
The fan base is growing: 43 per cent of Gen Z women’s football fans have only started following the sport over the past two years. And yet, their demands are loud and clear.
“We’re seeing a clear cultural and behavioural shift – audiences today, especially younger and female demographics, expect brands to stand for something more meaningful. They value authenticity, inclusion and social progress. Supporting women’s sports aligns directly with those expectations,” Jackson says.
This builds on data shared by Footballco’s reports, which show that Saudi fans view female footballers as powerful role models, even more so than fans in other regions.
From the sampled group of fans in the report, in Saudi Arabia, footballers are seen as the second most inspirational group of women, just behind entrepreneurs – globally, they rank fourth.
This presents a unique branding opportunity not only to support women’s football as a sport but also to align with the female players who represent a whole new level of influence.
‘‘To see sustainable growth in women’s sports, brands must look beyond one-off sponsorships and focus on building the entire ecosystem.’’
This point is emphasised by 56 per cent of female fans saying they would think more positively about a brand that sponsors the women’s game.
However, before launching any brand partnerships and ambassador content, marketers must understand the culture, the communities and the motivations shaping local audiences.
“Fandom isn’t one-size-fits-all. Data shows that women’s fandom is more social and community-driven, valuing authenticity, inclusion and representation over scale,” says M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Middle East’s Fox-Pryke.
That said, M+C Saatchi is also designing strategies that resonate with both genders because the data shows that Gen Z and male audiences now drive record women’s sport viewership.
Brands also stand to benefit from partnering with female athletes, leaders say, because female athletes contribute far more to brand love and long-term loyalty. In short, female athletes are more likely to build more powerful bonds with fans.
Jackson adds, “From experience, female athletes are more open to sharing their stories and views, and this then creates a more powerful connection with fans. The sponsoring brand benefits as a result. Also, since sponsorships are still relatively new to female players, they come across as more engaged and less jaded than some of their male counterparts. On a purely financial level, brand endorsements can make a huge difference to female players who don’t get anywhere near the on-pitch salaries of their male counterparts. As a result, our content strategy around women’s football focuses more on the human stories around the players as much as it does on their on-pitch performance.”
Brands have taken notice and are beginning to shift from traditional influencer marketing to partnering with female sports icons who embody empowerment.
Pepsi’s global deal with Saudi footballer Farah Jefry and Rexona’s three-year partnership with the Saudi women’s national football team highlight this notion.
Measuring brand building
While, trust and influence are well and good, marketers also need to balance long-term brand equity with meaningful short-term return on investment (ROI).
Ludmer says, “When evaluating partnerships in women’s sports, we look at both quantitative and qualitative metrics. On the performance side, we measure brand visibility, engagement rates, and digital reach. But equally important are long-term brand-building indicators – such as perception shifts, emotional affinity and increased association with empowerment and progress.”
For example, through its Qatar Foundation partnership and campaigns such as #NotWomensFootball, Volkswagen has seen higher engagement from female audiences and stronger sentiment around Volkswagen as a brand that supports inclusion and positive change.
Ultimately, the success of these initiatives isn’t just about short-term numbers – it’s about building a relationship with audiences who see brands like Volkswagen as driving change, not just providing mobility.
Zeinelabdin says, “We look at reach, sentiment and staying power. Women’s sport still offers a less cluttered sponsorship environment, which helps partners stand out. We also track how people feel after major moments. The UEFA Women’s Champions League continues to grow, with recent finals seeing increases in viewership and attendance. When we pair that visibility with fan-first experiences, we see stronger recall and preference. Ultimately, sustained improvement over time is the clearest indicator that a partnership is delivering real value.”
‘‘Too often, brands wait to support athletes until after they’ve ‘made it’ … The best brands know the value of being part of the story from the start.’’
The WTA’s equal pay roadmap by 2033 and sold-out UEFA Women’s EURO events prove the power of equality in action. Early pioneers such as Nike and adidas set the tone, while brands such as Sephora and Barbie are inspiring the next generation of females.
Fox-Pryke says, “Success in women’s sport isn’t measured by short-term ROI alone; it’s about long-term cultural and commercial impact. Beyond engagement and advocacy, brands must recognise the deeper drivers of progress, addressing challenges such as equal pay and access.”
Enhancing every layer of the ecosystem
To truly unlock the full potential of women’s sport and contribute to its fan-led culture, brands need to support the ecosystem growth at every level – from grassroots programmes and through local leagues all the way to regional and global media visibility.
Zeinelabdin says, “One of the biggest barriers to women’s sport isn’t talent; it’s opportunity. The sport grows faster when the whole ecosystem is supported. Through our work with leading brands across sport and entertainment, we see first-hand how ecosystem support translates into trust, growth and sustainable impact that extends well beyond individual events or campaigns.”
He adds, “We see this in Saudi Arabia with our partner, the Women’s Premier League, which now has national broadcast coverage and rising participation. This consistency creates the habits that sustain fandom. That’s how local engagement becomes lasting loyalty. Globally, our renewed UEFA partnership invests in coaching development and grassroots access because stronger foundations lead to healthier leagues. For PepsiCo, supporting the ecosystem builds long-term credibility, creates more sustainable impact, and guarantees we are part of the country’s vision and aspirations.”
Brands that invest in grassroots leagues and local media coverage of community driven programmes aren’t just supporting, but they’re shaping the future marketplace.
Ludmer adds, “To see sustainable growth in women’s sports, brands must look beyond one-off sponsorships and focus on building the entire ecosystem. That means supporting grassroots initiatives, investing in local leagues, and collaborating with partners who share the same long-term vision. This isn’t just about brand exposure; it’s about nurturing future talent, increasing representation, and ensuring women have equal opportunities to succeed in sport. In the end, that creates stronger brand affinity and contributes to real social progress.”
Footballco’s Jackson highlights the unique community aspect of women’s sport, “For many women involved in sport, local clubs provide community and a place to be themselves. This should be an authentic commitment to growing the game and providing a pathway for young girls in the sport through playing or supporting,” says Jackson.
Women’s sport may have been overlooked for decades, but this presents a rare opening.
Brands that step in now are not merely gaining visibility; they are actively driving cultural and social progress.
If done right, the long-term investment in this ecosystem will ensure that every victory, both on and off the pitch, will not only be celebrated in the moment, but will also stand the test of time.
