BBC Cymru Wales, the regional arm of the UK public service broadcaster, has secured the rights to broadcast the matches of the Wales women’s national soccer team for the next five years.
The deal, agreed with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and announced today (September 6), builds on a 10-match broadcast partnership penned by the pair last year that covered Wales’ qualifying games for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20 next year.
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Its announcement will be followed later today by Wales’ final qualifying match in which they take on Slovenia at the Cardiff City Stadium and that will see them guaranteed a place in the playoffs to reach Australia and New Zealand 2023 with just a draw.
Wales are bidding to reach a Women's World Cup finals for the first time in their history, having failed to qualify for each edition of the tournament since 1995, and having not entered in 1991, when the first Women's World Cup was run.
The new deal, running to 2027, also covers the World Cup tournament itself, the full campaign for the 2025 UEFA Women's Championship continental tournament (which as yet is without a host), and the qualifying campaign for the 2027 edition of the World Cup (for which host bidding has not yet started).
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In a separate deal, the BBC has also secured the radio rights for all matches of both Wales’ men’s and women’s teams for the next four years.
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By GlobalDataThe BBC also covered Wales’ qualifying campaign for the UEFA Women's Euro 2021 tournament, for which they did not qualify.
Welsh-language free-to-air broadcaster S4C, meanwhile, recently renewed its deal with the FAW for the country’s domestic soccer competitions for the next four years.
Rhuanedd Richards, director of BBC Cymru Wales, said: “I’m incredibly pleased that we’ve signed this latest deal to bring Wales’s Women’s football to our screens, and I know audiences will be delighted that they can continue to follow the team, free to air on the BBC for the next five years.
Our commitment to reflect women’s sport is unwavering and we’re looking forward to building on the success of our coverage of the World Cup qualifiers.”
Lowri Roberts, head of women’s and girls’ soccer at the FAW, said: “‘Visibility and awareness is a crucial pillar in Our Wales: For Her, the FAW’s women’s and girls football strategy.
“The platform that BBC Cymru Wales provides our national team ensures that children across the nation will be inspired to play, support and even pursue a career in the game.”
Elsewhere in women’s soccer, confectionary brand Cadbury has renewed its sponsorship of the Australia women's national soccer team until 2026 through a renewal with governing body Football Australia.
Under the deal, announced yesterday (September 5), Cadbury will continue to be designated as an official partner of the CommBank Matildas – as they are known through a naming rights deal with Commonwealth Bank – also alongside the likes of NIKE, Qantas, and Cupra.
The extension will see Cadbury continue to work with the Matildas on efforts to improve gender quality in soccer, as they have done since first partnering in 2020.
In addition, Matildas player Alanna Kennedy will continue as an ambassador for Cadbury.
The brand is also a main sponsor of Rugby Australia, the governing body for rugby union in the country.
James Johnson, the chief executive of Football Australia, whose contract was recently extended until 2024, said: “Over the past two years, the popularity of the CommBank Matildas has soared, and the positive influence of the team has seen players become household names and the CommBank Matildas hold the title of Australia’s most-loved national sporting team.
“With the CommBank Matildas set to play several matches on home soil over the next ten months, and Australia to co-host the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, we are expecting unprecedented growth in women’s football over the next decade.
“To meet this demand, Football Australia is working with likeminded partners such as Cadbury to promote equality in our sport, where female footballers enjoy the same level of facilities and resources as their male counterparts and support the development of future CommBank Matildas.”
Paul Chatfield, vice president of marketing at Cadbury added: “At Cadbury, we’re proud to support the continued growth and equality of women’s sport and thrilled to strengthen our support with the CommBank Matildas until 2026.”
“With the FIFA Women’s World Cup here on home soil next year, what better time to be shining a light on our incredible female athletes and inspiring the next generation of girls in communities across Australia.”
Image: Athena Pictures/Getty Images
