Sofascore Stadium Meetup: The Power of Women’s Sports
Women’s sport is no longer building quietly in the background. It is expanding fast, attracting bigger audiences, stronger commercial interest and more structured investment.
At the latest Sofascore Stadium Meetup, industry leaders came together to discuss what is truly powering this growth. The panel explored football, basketball and multi-sport trends, with a clear focus on sustainability, data and long-term planning.
On stage were Louise Beltrame-Bawden, Director of Women’s Sport Strategy at Stats Perform, Gustavo Arellano, Head of Commercial Development at FIBA, Marta Bihar, Head of Business Development at Sofascore, and moderator Damjan Rudež, Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships at Sofascore.
Attention Is There. Retention Is Next.
Louise Beltrame-Bawden addressed one of the most common misconceptions around women’s sport.
“One of the biggest myths is that nobody watches women’s sport. That is simply not true. We have cracked attention. Now the challenge is retention. How do we bring fans back consistently?”
She pointed to the Olympic Games as a long-term proof point, not just a one-off spike.
“Across the last five Olympic Games, both Summer and Winter, from Rio 2016 to the upcoming Milano-Cortina 2026, USA women have won more medals than USA men. These are not niche stories anymore. These are global moments.”
The shift is measurable. Women’s football is already among the top 10 most popular sports globally and is projected to enter the top five by 2030, with growth of around 45 percent in just a few years.
But growth alone is not enough. Structure must follow.
Data, AI and the Power of Storytelling
Data remains one of the strongest growth drivers across women’s sport.
“At Stats Perform, we support 366 soccer leagues globally. In many competitions, we deliver three times more live tracking data than competitors. In rugby and basketball, our coverage depth is often double. If you have data, you have a product,” said Beltrame-Bawden.
That product becomes stronger when storytelling meets insight.
“When England won the Euros, they were leading for only 4 minutes and 52 seconds across the entire knockout stage. That data tells a story. It’s not just about who won, but how they won.”
Artificial intelligence is becoming part of that evolution.
“We deliver more than 1,500 live insights during matches. It changes the fan experience and gives additional context. We are building metrics that demonstrate what women’s sport truly represents.”
At Sofascore, the same principle applies. Visibility and depth matter.
“Over the past two years at Sofascore, we have placed a stronger focus on women’s sport. We see a clear increase in users opening women’s events and following those competitions,” said Marta Bihar, and added
“We track audience behaviour. When users follow specific women’s events, we try to guide them toward other women’s competitions. We work with federations and clubs and use our data to support their growth. Data is imperative.”
Basketball’s Strategic Rise
For FIBA, the rise of women’s basketball has been deliberate.
“Developing women’s basketball was a strategic decision. That is when the real growth started,” said Gustavo Arellano.
The results speak clearly. The recent Women’s World Cup in Australia broke records across viewership, attendance and social engagement. According to Arellano, that success is not accidental.
“Short-term plans fail. Long-term strategies deliver results. Fans are not coming because tickets are free. They come because women’s basketball has become a popular product.”
He also highlighted how momentum can accelerate quickly when performance, data and storytelling align.
“Caitlin Clark is a strong example of what happens when elite performance, data and storytelling align. You need all elements. Without one of them, you do not create that wave of momentum.”
However, growth must be supported structurally.
“We need to support national federations. We need more coaches, more officials and a stronger competition system. Diversity in decision-making bodies is also essential.”
As Damjan Rudež, Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships at Sofascore, stated during the panel:
“Sofascore covers more basketball competitions globally than any other platform.”
Coverage creates visibility. Visibility creates value.
Equal Standards, Long-Term Vision
One of the strongest themes of the panel was equality in standards.
“At Sofascore, we provide exactly the same level of data for the Women’s Super League as we do for the Premier League. That credibility is important for leagues and for fan engagement,” said Bihar.
Commercial value still plays a role when selecting competitions, but the gap is narrowing quickly. The panel agreed that women’s sport must not be positioned as a comparison product, but as a growing and valuable ecosystem in its own right.
The message from the Sofascore Stadium Meetup was simple and clear. Women’s sport is scaling. The audience is growing. The commercial opportunity is real.
Now, the focus is on sustaining that momentum with smart strategy, strong infrastructure and data that tells the full story behind the score.
Women’s sport is no longer a question of potential. It is a question of execution.
The audience is growing. Commercial interest is visible. Data is stronger than ever. The challenge now is consistency. Long-term plans, equal standards and smart use of insight will determine who turns momentum into sustained success.
The direction is clear. Women’s sport is not catching up. It is moving forward.
Check out the whole photo gallery:
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22 Apr 2026Sofascore Stadium Meetup: The Power of Women’s Sports
Women’s sport is no longer building quietly in the background. It is expanding fast, attracting bigger audiences, stronger commercial interest and more structured investment.
At the latest Sofascore Stadium Meetup, industry leaders came together to discuss what is truly powering this growth. The panel explored football, basketball and multi-sport trends, with a clear focus on sustainability, data and long-term planning.
On stage were Louise Beltrame-Bawden, Director of Women’s Sport Strategy at Stats Perform, Gustavo Arellano, Head of Commercial Development at FIBA, Marta Bihar, Head of Business Development at Sofascore, and moderator Damjan Rudež, Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships at Sofascore.
Attention Is There. Retention Is Next.
Louise Beltrame-Bawden addressed one of the most common misconceptions around women’s sport.
“One of the biggest myths is that nobody watches women’s sport. That is simply not true. We have cracked attention. Now the challenge is retention. How do we bring fans back consistently?”
She pointed to the Olympic Games as a long-term proof point, not just a one-off spike.
“Across the last five Olympic Games, both Summer and Winter, from Rio 2016 to the upcoming Milano-Cortina 2026, USA women have won more medals than USA men. These are not niche stories anymore. These are global moments.”
The shift is measurable. Women’s football is already among the top 10 most popular sports globally and is projected to enter the top five by 2030, with growth of around 45 percent in just a few years.
But growth alone is not enough. Structure must follow.
Data, AI and the Power of Storytelling
Data remains one of the strongest growth drivers across women’s sport.
“At Stats Perform, we support 366 soccer leagues globally. In many competitions, we deliver three times more live tracking data than competitors. In rugby and basketball, our coverage depth is often double. If you have data, you have a product,” said Beltrame-Bawden.
That product becomes stronger when storytelling meets insight.
“When England won the Euros, they were leading for only 4 minutes and 52 seconds across the entire knockout stage. That data tells a story. It’s not just about who won, but how they won.”
Artificial intelligence is becoming part of that evolution.
“We deliver more than 1,500 live insights during matches. It changes the fan experience and gives additional context. We are building metrics that demonstrate what women’s sport truly represents.”
At Sofascore, the same principle applies. Visibility and depth matter.
“Over the past two years at Sofascore, we have placed a stronger focus on women’s sport. We see a clear increase in users opening women’s events and following those competitions,” said Marta Bihar, and added
“We track audience behaviour. When users follow specific women’s events, we try to guide them toward other women’s competitions. We work with federations and clubs and use our data to support their growth. Data is imperative.”
Basketball’s Strategic Rise
For FIBA, the rise of women’s basketball has been deliberate.
“Developing women’s basketball was a strategic decision. That is when the real growth started,” said Gustavo Arellano.
The results speak clearly. The recent Women’s World Cup in Australia broke records across viewership, attendance and social engagement. According to Arellano, that success is not accidental.
“Short-term plans fail. Long-term strategies deliver results. Fans are not coming because tickets are free. They come because women’s basketball has become a popular product.”
He also highlighted how momentum can accelerate quickly when performance, data and storytelling align.
“Caitlin Clark is a strong example of what happens when elite performance, data and storytelling align. You need all elements. Without one of them, you do not create that wave of momentum.”
However, growth must be supported structurally.
“We need to support national federations. We need more coaches, more officials and a stronger competition system. Diversity in decision-making bodies is also essential.”
As Damjan Rudež, Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships at Sofascore, stated during the panel:
“Sofascore covers more basketball competitions globally than any other platform.”
Coverage creates visibility. Visibility creates value.
Equal Standards, Long-Term Vision
One of the strongest themes of the panel was equality in standards.
“At Sofascore, we provide exactly the same level of data for the Women’s Super League as we do for the Premier League. That credibility is important for leagues and for fan engagement,” said Bihar.
Commercial value still plays a role when selecting competitions, but the gap is narrowing quickly. The panel agreed that women’s sport must not be positioned as a comparison product, but as a growing and valuable ecosystem in its own right.
The message from the Sofascore Stadium Meetup was simple and clear. Women’s sport is scaling. The audience is growing. The commercial opportunity is real.
Now, the focus is on sustaining that momentum with smart strategy, strong infrastructure and data that tells the full story behind the score.
Women’s sport is no longer a question of potential. It is a question of execution.
The audience is growing. Commercial interest is visible. Data is stronger than ever. The challenge now is consistency. Long-term plans, equal standards and smart use of insight will determine who turns momentum into sustained success.
The direction is clear. Women’s sport is not catching up. It is moving forward.
Check out the whole photo gallery:
The latest stories
Top Favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup
22 Apr 2026Strasbourg vs Nice in the Coupe de France semifinals: what to expect at La Meinau
22 Apr 2026Atalanta vs Lazio: Coppa Italia semi preview
22 Apr 2026Elche vs Atlético Madrid: numbers, lineups and odds before kickoff
22 Apr 2026BC Place: A Guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup
22 Apr 2026Barcelona vs Celta Vigo pregame: form, numbers and a few clues
22 Apr 2026