Following the hosting of a landmark UEFA Women’s European Championships in Summer 2025, the Swiss FA have announced plans to invest in the country’s domestic leagues as women’s football continues to grow in Switzerland. These plans are part of a broader vision to capitalise on the increased interest and visibility of women’s football in Switzerland following the tournament, whilst striving to grow the game in a sustainable manner.
The 2025 UEFA Women’s European Championships was historic for the Swiss National Team as they reached the quarter finals for the first time, all whilst being cheered on by record-breaking crowds. The growth in support for the Swiss National team has been evident with 10,025 in attendance for their first home game following the tournament. This has resulted in knock-on effects with a 62% increase in attendances in the Swiss Women’s Super League, equating to 787 in attendance on average.
The tournament generated CHF 205m (€220 million) into the Swiss economy, demonstrating the economic benefits that women’s football can also provide. Furthermore, the genuine interest in women’s football was demonstrated, with 29 out of the 31 games sold out during the tournament. In response, the Swiss WSL have been granted Priority 2 for field access which will enable the league to utilise higher quality pitches and training facilities. This will reduce injury risk to players, improve safety and enhance the fan experience which will help to draw more crowds to domestic fixtures. In addition, the lower tiers of women’s football in Switzerland have also gained greater priority which will come into force from July.
This is part of a broader effort to grow the women’s game sustainably as part of UEFA’s “Here to Stay” legacy programme in partnership with the Swiss Football Association (SFA). This scheme is aimed at providing equal opportunities for women and girls as the game continues to rise in popularity. It also aims to enhance the visibility of women’s football as the sport continues to grow globally, with the goal of doubling the WSL’s consumer base.
One key objective is to double the number of women and girls playing football in Switzerland to 80,000 by 2027 through schemes such as female-only coaching courses. This will help to improve the youth academy systems in Switzerland whilst providing more development opportunities for women and girls wanting to become involved in the sport. Overall, this initiative is incredibly important in helping to improve access to women’s football whilst also increasing female representation within the sport.
The Women’s EURO 2025 legacy project manager, Alice Holzer, described the importance of the project stating,
“The message ‘Here to stay’ emphasises that we need to define measures that will benefit women’s football in the long term.”
This demonstrates how this programme aims to have a long term impact on women’s football, as well as making short-term strides to capitalise on the surge of interest generated by the 2025 UEFA Women’s European Championships.
In addition, a new formal licensing system will be introduced from the 2026/27 season.This is being managed by the Swiss Football League (SFL) which will ensure that all clubs have to meet minimum standards in infrastructure, organisation and sustainability. This will help to improve training facilities as well as creating more opportunities for the next generation of young aspiring footballers in Switzerland. It also looks to align the Swiss WSL with the professional standards of men’s football, promoting gender equality within football.
With a new licensing system, greater opportunities for female coaches and increased investment, the Swiss WSL is moving ever closer to becoming a fully professional league. It is imperative that the momentum created by the 2025 UEFA Women’s European Championships is leveraged and the “Here to Stay” programme is a statement of intent to change the landscape of women’s football in Switzerland for generations to come.
https://theriseofwomensfootball.com/swiss-fa-womens-football-priority-wsl-licensing
