Women’s fantasy football fans around the world are in shock, and for once, it has nothing to do with their points tally. On March 8 2026, Dani Gonçalves, co-founder of Even Sports, announced to players that its Women’s Super League (WSL) fantasy football game would not return for the 2026/27 WSL season.
In a letter addressed to supporters, Gonçalves confirmed that Aerial Fantasy, formerly known as Fantasy WSL, had become too costly to sustain amid growing demand and limited commercial backing. For thousands of managers who eagerly anticipated weekly deadlines, meticulously analysed fixtures or in-form players, and counted every point, the announcement marked the end of a cherished routine.
This announcement was more than the closure of a digital game, as it exposed a deeper structural issue surrounding investment in women’s football. As the commercial value of the women’s game continues to rise, the supporting systems that foster engagement must grow alongside it. Expanding audiences is not only about filling stadiums. Leagues and commercial entities must also invest in digital products that keep supporters engaged and connected every matchday. Aerial Fantasy’s rise and abrupt fall underscore this imbalance.
In her announcement, Gonçalves stated that Aerial Fantasy was not a company backed by venture capital or the league itself. It was a platform built by supporters who believed that the WSL deserved the same immersive fan experience that was long embedded in the men’s game. In 2022, Gonçalves and her co-founder, Jimmy, a software engineer, began developing the platform in their spare time. What began as an independent side project quickly evolved into a rapidly growing digital community. The game launched in 2023, and the platform expanded from 158 users to more than 10,000 by the time the league campaign kicked off in October. By the end of that season, 32,000 fantasy managers had signed up. Over its lifespan, more than 80,000 users registered to play. This figure indicates that there is real, sustained interest in a WSL fantasy game.
The Even Sports team identified a gap following the Lionesses’ triumph at the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros. While interest in the WSL rose, there was no official fantasy platform to help new supporters learn about teams and player performances weekly. Even Sports sought to replicate the Premier League’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) model, which was originally a fan-founded game before becoming officially integrated into the Premier League ecosystem.
The Premier League now actively promotes FPL through its official app and offers exciting prizes and recognition to top-performing managers. Similarly, the UEFA Champions League provides official fantasy games for both its men’s and women’s competitions. Other sporting organisations, including FIFA and Formula 1, have also embedded official fantasy gaming products into their fan engagement strategies. This investment shows that fantasy games are not merely peripheral games but have become strategic tools in deepening supporter engagement and expanding global reach.
A Reddit user responding to the shutdown explained that the game had:
“deepened my appreciation and knowledge of the WSL and its players beyond the team I support.”
This sentiment was echoed by Gonçalves herself, who explained that fans from as far as Australia had begun watching the league after playing the fantasy football game. Aerial Fantasy, like many other fantasy games, had become pivotal in encouraging new friendships, broader team affinity, and consistent international engagement.
Despite the game’s growth, Aerial Fantasy operated without official league integration or long-term commercial backing. Gonçalves wrote that the team had tried to “work towards being an official game” but failed to reach an agreement. At the same time, as demand rose, operating costs continued to rise. While the company did attempt to formalise brand partnerships, Gonçalves noted that many brands were hesitant to partner with an unofficial platform. Despite limited funding opportunities, Even Sports made a deliberate decision not to rely on donations from supporters who had generously offered financial contributions. Gonçalves stated that their objective was to build a sustainable business capable of standing on commercial merit rather than goodwill.
“It’s never sat right with me personally how much hard work it is to be a fan of women’s football,” Gonçalves wrote.
This statement highlights an uncomfortable truth in women’s football, which is that it is often assumed that fans themselves will create and sustain the systems they wish to see, rather than those systems being institutionally funded and strategically developed.
There are speculations that the WSL is developing its own official fantasy product. If confirmed, that move would demonstrate recognition of the value and clear demand for a women’s fantasy game. However, it also raises questions about missed opportunities. With more than 80,000 registered users and three seasons of operational experience, Aerial Fantasy had already built a proven product and an established community. Collaboration may have allowed existing users to transition seamlessly into an official platform, rather than requiring supporters to move from one platform to another. For fans who invested time building teams, mini-leagues, and weekly routines, continuity matters. An integrated approach could have preserved momentum while strengthening the league’s digital offering, instead of resetting and rebuilding from the ground up.
Ultimately, Aerial Fantasy’s announcement is not evidence of a lack of interest from the WSL community. On the contrary, it reflects a committed and growing fanbase that proved both its enthusiasm and willingness to engage consistently. The issue was never demand. The issue is the absence of sustained, strategic investment in women’s football products and the digital infrastructure that supports modern supporters.
