International sports agency IMG has secured a deal to manage and license the international video archive rights for North America’s top-tier National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) competition, with the league seeking to boost its global visibility as part of its next phase of growth.
Under the deal, IMG will manage and distribute all the NWSL’s archive footage and programming from the 2027 season, including all matches across the league’s regular season, playoffs, season-ending championship game, and the Challenge Cup – the former league-wide knockout cup competition launched during the Covid pandemic that became a single-game supercup in 2024.
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Brian Gordon, senior vice president of broadcast, said: “Partnering with IMG to manage our global archive rights is an exciting step for the NWSL.
“This collaboration ensures our rich history is preserved and accessible with fans, broadcasters, and storytellers around the world.”
The deal, meanwhile, adds to IMG’s portfolio of clients that it manages archive rights for, including soccer’s top-tier English Premier League and Germany’s Bundesliga, the World Rugby governing body, the Wimbledon Championships flagship tennis tournament, golf’s R&A (The Open) and DP World Tour, mixed martial arts’ UFC, and all-electric motor racing series Formula E.
Bill Hawes, senior director of archive at IMG, said: “IMG is working closely with the NWSL to help it unlock greater value from its competitions.
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By GlobalData“We’re pleased to start our partnership with the NWSL to help storytellers bring the league’s biggest stories to fans, broadcasters, and brands around the world through its archive rights. The NWSL has an incredibly compelling growth story with a rich archive of footage that captures the talent, passion, and moments that have built today’s game.”
The NWSL was launched in 2012 and has since grown into one of the most competitive and commercially successful women’s soccer leagues in the world, led by commissioner Jessica Berman, who last month renewed her contract through 2028.
Under her charge, the NWSL has experienced rapid growth, having secured record-breaking media rights deals, the league’s first and second collective bargaining agreements, skyrocketing club valuations, and new expansion franchises in the Bay Area, Utah, Boston, Denver, and Atlanta, to take it from 12 to 17 clubs.
The league secured new broadcast agreements with international sports broadcaster ESPN and CBS in September to accommodate extra match coverage ahead of its 2026 expansion.
Fees have also increased in each round of expansion, with Bay FC and Boston Legacy sold for $53 million in 2023, Denver Summit FC for $110 million in 2025, and Atlanta going for $165 million earlier this month.
The NWSL has also seen a 200% increase in league-level partnerships during Berman’s tenure, with high-profile companies such as AT&T, Google Pixel, Amazon, and Adobe signing up as sponsors.
Last month, NWSL announced its 2025 championship game as the most-watched game in the league’s history, drawing a domestic audience of over one million.
Broadcast of Paramount-owned network CBS, Gotham FC’s 1-0 win over Washington Spirit on November 22 averaged 1.184 million viewers – a 22% increase on the 2024 final and up 45% on the 2023 edition.
