Finance
Sport-Women's Elite Sports Revenues to Reach $3 Billion in 2026, Deloitte Says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 8, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 8, 2026
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Deloitte forecasts women’s elite sports revenues will surpass $3 billion in 2026—up 25% from 2025’s $2.4 billion—driven by strong growth in broadcast (25%) and matchday (30%) streams; basketball and football each account for ~35%, with North America ($1.64 bn, 54%) and Europe ($434 m, 14%) leading.
Deloitte: Women's Elite Sports Revenues Projected to Surpass $3 Billion Globally by 2026
Global Growth and Revenue Projections in Women's Elite Sports
Record-Breaking Revenue Milestone
April 8 (Reuters) - Global revenues in women's elite sports will reach at least $3 billion for the first time in 2026, marking an increase of 25% compared to last year, Deloitte said in a report on Wednesday.
Women's elite sports generated $2.4 billion worldwide last year, mainly through basketball and soccer, after achieving growth of 248% from 2022 to 2025.
Future Growth Expectations
"Based on current projections, this is expected to rise to 340% between 2022 and 2026," Deloitte said in a statement.
Key Revenue Streams
Broadcast and Matchday Contributions
A quarter of the revenues will come from broadcast, and matchday revenues will contribute 30%.
Expert Insights
"Surpassing the three-billion-dollar mark in 2026 would be a phenomenal achievement and would cement women’s sport firmly in the spotlight," said Jennifer Haskel, knowledge and insights lead in the Deloitte Sports Business Group.
"However, it is important to recognise that it is still early days... the industry’s enduring success will be built on diligently collecting data, analysing its impact, and making corrections driven by these learnings.”
Top Sports and Leading Markets
Dominant Sports
Football and basketball will remain the big earners, each bringing in about 35% of the total revenue in 2026.
Regional Market Leaders
North America and Europe
"North America ($1.64 billion, 54% of total) and Europe ($434 million, 14%) are expected to remain the largest revenue-generating markets for women’s sport," Deloitte added.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
Key Takeaways
- •Women’s elite sports revenue is projected to hit $3 billion in 2026, marking 340 % growth since 2022
- •Commercial revenue remains dominant—broadcast ~25 %, matchday ~30 %—with basketball and football each generating ~35 % of total
- •North America continues to lead globally (54 %), followed by Europe (14 %), underscoring geographic concentration
Frequently Asked Questions about Sport-Women's elite sports revenues to reach $3 billion in 2026, Deloitte says
1What is the projected revenue for women's elite sports in 2026?
Global revenues in women's elite sports are expected to reach at least $3 billion in 2026.
2Which sports will generate the most revenue in women's elite competitions?
Football and basketball are projected to be the main revenue drivers, each contributing about 35% to the total.
3What percentage of women's elite sports revenue will come from North America and Europe?
North America is expected to account for $1.64 billion (54%) and Europe for $434 million (14%) of total revenue.
4How has women's elite sports revenue grown from 2022 to 2026?
Women's elite sports revenue has grown by 248% from 2022 to 2025 and is projected to reach a 340% increase by 2026.
5What are the main revenue streams for women's elite sports?
Broadcast will contribute 25% and matchday revenues 30% of total women's elite sports revenues in 2026.
