Women’s Super League ditches The FA Player

The Women’s Super League (WSL) has moved from OTT platform, The FA Player to YouTube for streaming live, free-to-access matches.

The UK broadcast rights for the bulk of WSL matches are currently owned by Sky Sports and the BBC, with Sky showing 44 live games and the BBC airing an additional 22 games each season. All other games (66 matches in total) were previously streamed live on The FA Player.

These games will now be shown on WSL’s YouTube channel instead of The FA Player. WSL will also show highlights, post-match analysis and other WSL-related content on its YouTube channel.

“YouTube will offer even more supporters the opportunity to enjoy our amazing leagues.”

The FA Player was launched in 2019, and is free to access. It will continue to air live Women’s FA Cup fixtures and content.

Nikki Doucet, chief executive of the WSL and Women’s Championship, said: “It is also a landmark moment for us with our transition to YouTube as our streaming service. The FA Player has been a hugely important part of the growth of women’s football in recent years, and the free-to-air reach it has afforded our teams has been crucial in our development.

“Coupled with the high-quality coverage provided by our broadcast partners Sky Sports and the BBC, watching the women’s professional game here in the UK has never been easier. As we continue our journey into the NewCo, YouTube will offer even more supporters, both current and future, the opportunity to enjoy our amazing leagues at a click of a button.”