Lionesses: €41M Euro Win Ignites Women's Sport

How Euro 2025 Crowned a New Commercial Era for Women's Sport

Basel roared, history was made, and a nation celebrated — the England Lionesses were crowned champions of Europe for the second consecutive time, defeating world champions Spain in a thrilling penalty shootout at the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 final. This unforgettable victory didn’t just retain a trophy; it cemented the Lionesses' legacy and propelled women's football into an unprecedented commercial era, proving the sport is a powerhouse both on and off the pitch. With elite women’s performance metrics rapidly closing in on their male counterparts, the Lionesses’ back-to-back success underscores just how far the women's game has come — and how much further it’s set to go.

How Much Were the Lionesses Paid for Winning the Euros?

For bringing home England’s first major football trophy won overseas and defending their European title, the financial rewards for the Lionesses are significantly higher than in 2022. UEFA confirmed a record prize money pot of €41 million for Euro 2025, a substantial 156% increase from the 2022 tournament {1}.

Crucially, for the first time at a Women's EURO, players are guaranteed a share of their national association's prize money, with participating teams required to distribute between 30% and 40% to their players {1}. Reports indicate that the England squad had an agreement with the FA for a collective bonus of £1.75 million, which averages out to around £73,000 per player if they won Euro 2025 {3}. This substantial increase in prize money and the guaranteed player share are monumental steps towards equitable remuneration in women’s sport, signalling a growing commitment to professionalisation and equitable investment in athletic talent that is now recognized for its commercial appeal.

What Does the Lionesses' Manager Earn?

The mastermind behind this latest Euro win, Sarina Wiegman, has further cemented her status as a national hero and arguably the world's best women's football coach. Having recently extended her contract beyond the 2027 World Cup finals, her salary reflects her unparalleled success and high market value. While official figures are not disclosed, her latest deal reportedly makes her "one of the best-paid women's football managers in the world," with previous reports suggesting her earnings exceeded £400,000 a year plus performance bonuses {4}.

Wiegman’s calm, tactical, and relentlessly focused leadership has been credited as truly transformational. Her continued success and the FA's significant investment in her demonstrate the growing professionalisation of coaching within women's football and the recognition that top-tier talent, both on and off the pitch, commands substantial value in a rapidly expanding commercial landscape.

524815198 1297805038583444 4441160196172039819 n

Sarina Wiegman

What Have the Lionesses Won, and How Does This Build Their Market-Leading Brand?

The Lionesses' Euro 2025 victory is the latest triumph in a remarkable journey of sustained excellence, significantly enhancing their brand power and market appeal. Their major achievements now include:

UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 – Champions, defeating Germany 2-1 at Wembley.
Arnold Clark Cup 2022 & 2023 – Back-to-back titles against top-ranked international sides.
Finalissima 2023 – Victory over Brazil in a dramatic penalty shootout.
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Runners-up after a historic run to the final.
UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 – Champions, defeating Spain 1-1 (3-1 on penalties) in Basel.

This unparalleled winning era firmly places England among the world’s elite and marks them as the first nation to defend their women's European title in 12 years {1}. These successive triumphs are not just sporting accolades; they are powerful assets in building a formidable national team brand, attracting premium commercial partnerships, deepening fan engagement across diverse demographics, and ultimately translating directly into increased market presence and revenue opportunities.

How Many People Watched the Euro Final?

The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 final between England and Spain broke new records, further underscoring the immense commercial potential of women's football. The tournament overall became the most successful in the competition's history in terms of attendance, surpassing the 2022 record with a total of 657,000 overall attendees {2}. The final itself at St. Jakob-Park in Basel was completely sold out.

Globally, preliminary figures show the live audience for the tournament surpassed 400 million, with the total reach across all programming nearing 500 million viewers. For the final between England and Spain, global audience projections exceeded 45 million {2}. In the UK, the semi-final alone against Italy was watched by a peak of 10.2 million viewers across all devices on ITV {5}. These record-breaking viewership figures are a goldmine for businesses. They demonstrate a massive, engaged, and rapidly growing audience that brands can connect with, offering significant return on investment through sponsorship, advertising, and brand association. This burgeoning fanbase indicates a substantial, yet still growing, market with high growth potential, signalling a shift in consumer interest that astute businesses are actively capitalizing on.

More Than a Win: A Movement for Women's Sport – What's the Commercial Future?

This wasn’t just a football match; it was a cultural moment, a statement of equality, and a powerful message to the world that women’s sport is a lucrative and rapidly expanding industry. The Lionesses' repeat victory further amplifies this, transforming it from a "movement" into a robust, high-growth sector. Young girls across the country now dream of lifting trophies, driving increased participation at grassroots levels which in turn creates a robust talent pipeline and expands the overall market ecosystem for sporting goods, coaching, and facilities.

Crucially for businesses, sponsors are not just seeing the value in women’s sport; they are experiencing significant returns. UEFA is projected to bring in around €32.5 million in sponsorship revenue for the Women's Euros, more than double the 2022 figure {6}. This leap reflects UEFA's strategic decision in 2018 to unbundle women's football rights, directly attracting major brands like Amazon, Visa, and Euronics {6}. Deloitte predicts that global revenues in women's elite sports will reach at least US$2.35 billion (£1.88 billion) in 2025, a staggering 240% increase in just four years {7}. This growth trajectory offers a compelling case for investment. Brands engaging with women's sport are finding high ROI, benefiting from strong brand affinity, positive public perception, and access to a diverse and highly engaged audience. Many are moving beyond passive logo placement to deliver purpose-led campaigns with real social impact, like Lidl promoting sustainable eating or Dove tackling body confidence {6}.

The Lionesses didn’t just win for themselves; they won for every girl who’s ever been told she can’t play football. And in doing so, they've cemented a commercial phenomenon, proving that the future of women's sport is not just about social impact, but about significant, sustainable economic opportunity. From grassroots pitches to sold-out stadiums and record-breaking TV audiences, their roar has been heard — and it will echo as a beacon for unprecedented commercial growth for generations.