FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - International Friendly - Women - Germany v Australia - MSV Arena, Duisburg, Germany - October 28, 2024 Germany line up during the national anthems before the match REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen/File Photo
(Reuters) - UEFA will commit 1 billion euros ($1.08 billion) of competition revenue and investment to develop women's soccer in the continent over the next six years, European soccer's governing body said on Wednesday.
The commitment is a part of UEFA's new strategy to grow the women's game, with money going to clubs, national teams, senior and youth competitions with the goal to have 5000 professional players and six professional leagues in Europe by 2030.
"European women's football has never been in a better place," UEFA's managing director of women's football Nadine Kessler said in a statement.
"(It) has become a sport for the masses, attracting an ever-growing and diverse fan base, and partners that wholeheartedly contribute to its growth."
The women's game has enjoyed significant growth in revenue and interest in recent years, with the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand generating more than $570 million.
The Women's Super League in England also generated record revenue in 2022-23, with more than a million people attending matches in the country's top two divisions in 2023-24.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said that the new six-year strategy, dubbed 'Unstoppable', would lay the groundwork to unlock the full potential of women's soccer.
"Our dedication to the cause remains as strong as ever. Our mission is simple – to help women's football gain a prominent place in the European sporting community," he added.
($1 = 0.9231 euros)
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
