League is currently shown by Sky Sports and the BBC

Sky Sports WSL women's football

WSL chair Dawn Airey has revealed that it aims to become the first £1 billion women’s football league.

She also revealed that it hopes to put its rights to tender before the end of the year, in what will be the last rights cycle before it and the Championship separate from the FA and become independently run.

Speaking ahead of the WSL kicking off on 1 October, Airey said, “One of the stated goals that we have is to make this league the first billion pound women’s league in the world, that is league revenue and club revenue and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t do it.

“That’s our goal, at every level to get more finances in this business, as well as…developing a pathway and the investment that is required at every level.”

She added: “We will be going to market, I would like to think before the end of the year. The Premier League go to market in the middle of October. It would be daft to put our rights into the market when they’re in because that’s going to get the primary attention. We will go in after. 

“It’s always interesting to see who responds to the tender but there’s no reason why it can’t be quite speedy. You know who the players are. In terms of who’s interested, everybody is, as they should be. It’s just a question of assessing the tenders.”

Sky Sports and the BBC currently broadcast the league, with their deal coming to an end next summer. The competition has seen a growth in viewership and attendance following England’s international success.