Credit: Imago

Toby Coxon

Wed 18 June 2025 11:00, UK

Aston Villa’s financial strategy has been a constant topic of discussion, particularly in light of Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

The club continually seeks avenues to bolster its financial standing, ensuring compliance while striving for on-pitch success across both its men’s and women’s teams.

Villa are constantly looking to level up their women’s team both on and off the field, and the more finances they have available, the better they can become.

Sky Sports and WSL expansion drive new revenue streams

Aston Villa, alongside all other clubs participating in the Women’s Super League (WSL), are poised to receive a significant financial uplift.

This is following news via The Guardian (17 June) that Sky Sports are in detailed discussions to expand its broadcast coverage of the league.

These talks come on the heels of the WSL’s major structural change, approved on Tuesday (18 June), which will see the league grow from 12 to 14 clubs starting from the 2026-27 campaign.

Sky Sports has explicitly stated its intention to broadcast up to 50 extra matches each season from that point onwards.

This expansion means the WSL fixture list will swell to 182 games from 2026, and Sky is keen to incorporate these into its ever-growing football portfolio, ensuring more eyes on every game.

This new broadcast deal will provide more funds for Aston Villa Women, who finished last season’s WSL in sixth.

This could also go some way towards making NSWE rethink their reported decision to Villa Women.

The financial landscape and future growth of women’s football

The financial commitment from Sky Sports to women’s football is already substantial.

Under the terms of the current five-year broadcast deal, which commenced this summer, Sky holds live rights for 118 of the 132 WSL games in the existing 12-club format, with the BBC covering 14 matches exclusively and seven fixtures being jointly broadcast.

Sky is understood to be contributing approximately £60million of the record £65m joint deal with the BBC, and its total investment in the women’s game, when production and promotional costs are included, is already well over £100m.

With the WSL clubs now agreeing to promote two additional sides from the Championship to facilitate the expansion, the fixture list will grow considerably.

Crucially, Sky are maintaining its principle that every single match should continue to be televised.

While detailed negotiations for these additional fixtures have yet to take place and it remains unclear if an extra rights fee will be requested (though production costs would be covered), the underlying stability and growth this commitment provides is invaluable.

For Aston Villa, a consistent and expanding broadcast deal translates directly into a more predictable and larger share of central revenues.

This is vital for continued investment in their squad, facilities at Bodymoor Heath, and the overall professionalisation of their women’s team.

This will contribute positively to the club’s broader financial sustainability.

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