Press Releases
WHAT A SEASON ! Aurora's Host Broadcast Partnership with WSL Football
date
29/05/26
author
Aurora Team
Aurora and WSL Football mark successful first season of multi-year host broadcast partnership.
WSL Football and award-winning broadcast agency Aurora Media Worldwide today marked the successful completion of the first season of their multi-year host broadcast partnership across the Barclays Women’s Super League (Barclays WSL) and Barclays Women’s Super League 2 (Barclays WSL2.
The partnership has brought together, for the first time, the live production and distribution of all Barclays WSL and Barclays WSL2 matches under one unified broadcast framework, delivering expanded coverage, enhanced digital content and storytelling and increased accessibility for fans in the UK and internationally.
Across the season, the partnership has delivered:
- More than 300 live matches across the Barclays WSL, Barclays WSL2 and Subway Women’s League Cup
- Over 500 digital highlights packages
- 22 BBC weekly highlights programmes, ‘The Women’s Football Show’
- More than 200 original films and social-first features
- Brand partner activations (for example with Barclays) through player-led storytelling and digital content campaigns across broadcast and social platforms
- Live-stream coverage of all Barclays WSL matches outside Sky Sports and BBC selections
- Live-stream coverage on YouTube of every Barclays WSL2 fixture
- Fully Produced World feeds for all WSL matches for international broadcast partners
This season has marked an important step forward in the continued growth of both leagues. Working together with Aurora, we have been able to innovate and expand access for fans, increase the visibility of both leagues and create a more consistent and accessible viewing experience across broadcast and digital platforms. The scale and quality of coverage delivered this season reflects both the growing interest in women’s football and the ambition for where the game can go next
Production Innovation
Aurora also introduced new technical and editorial workflows for WSL Football, including cloud-based remote production infrastructure and expanded digital storytelling designed to bring fans closer to the players, clubs and rivalries across both leagues.
Operating from production hubs in London, Woking and Leeds, Aurora and WSL Football established an innovative North-South production model designed to support regional production capability, local workforce growth and emerging broadcast talent.
Brand new Outside Broadcast Units, MCR, remote galleries, studio and edit facilities were created in partnership with Vivid Broadcast in Woking and Sticks & Glass in Leeds to facilitate the volume of output.
A Landmark Season for WSL Football
The first season of the partnership came during a period of continued growth for the women’s domestic game, with rising attendances, increased broadcast audiences and expanding commercial interest across the Barclays WSL and Barclays WSL2.
The women’s professional game has seen transformational growth including the biggest ever cumulative attendance of 111k across one weekend in March, 71% increase in social followers and 161% for video views over the past two years, live games available in 182 countries and 75% reach in international markets plus a 30% year on year viewership increase on Sky Sports.
Investment in people and talent
As part of the partnership, Aurora worked alongside Vivid Broadcast and Sticks & Glass to establish sustainable production hubs in the South and North of England. Alongside live production delivery, the project supported emerging production talent and player media development initiatives both on and off camera.
By creating a unified production and distribution operation across both leagues, Aurora and WSL Football aimed to increase visibility, expand access for fans and support the continued growth of the women’s game both in the UK and internationally.
This has been a huge project to undertake, The investment and support from WSL Football has underpinned their commitment to a fast-growing domestic & international media offering. This season we have seen game after game of brilliant action, goals and personal stories across both leagues. This has been a hugely collaborative effort between Aurora, WSL Football, Sky, BBC Sport and production partners across the country. We’re extremely proud of what has been delivered together, both on screen and behind the scenes. There is plenty more to come.
