As women’s football continues to grow rapidly worldwide, it’s natural to focus on the opportunities arising for players, coaches, and technical staff. However, the impact of this growth should not be limited to the on-field action. Women’s football has become a powerful catalyst for the expansion of and growth of other industries, from fantasy football leagues to content creation. This ripple effect is evident when one looks at the emergence of several fantasy football games following the women’s format, and the fresh new voices within the football content space.
Historically, fantasy leagues were predominantly centred around men’s football, but the women’s game is now making its mark in this space. Driven by the passion and enthusiasm of fans eager to engage more deeply with the sport, unofficial fantasy platforms for women’s football have gained traction. These platforms, while unaffiliated with official leagues, highlight the immense demand for new ways to connect with the game. They also underscore an important truth: women’s football is not a niche interest. It is a thriving space with untapped potential for investment and innovation.
As a fantasy football player myself, I witnessed this first-hand during the Women’s EURO 2022, when there were at least three fantasy football games released for this tournament. ShePlays Fantasy, an Australian based platform which provides fantasy games for the WSL, NWSL, UWCL, and many other leagues, was the first, followed by RealFevr, and remarkably, in a one of a kind move, the Starling Bank Fantasy Football game emerged as the tournament’s official fantasy game. It was the first time witnessing so many fantasy games being available for a women’s tournament and it showed how rapidly women’s football was growing, but also how much the fans were looking for new and interactive ways to engage with the game, and that call was met by these platforms.
After the Women’s Euro 2022, ShePlays Fantasy continued to pave the way to this engagement, and the WSL Fantasy game launched soon after, offering fans an even more immersive experience. This expansion saw women’s fantasy football engagement seemingly explode overnight, and where there is fantasy football, there is always a need for a few experts and creators to step forward and guide others in selecting the best possible team weekly. This therefore signals a broader expansion of the footballing ecosystem, with business opportunities, and content creation possibilities arising, proving that the growth of women’s football on field, directly results in the expansion of other avenues that extend beyond the game itself.
Dedicated fans like Dylan Creamer (@astroanalytics13, X), Jonathan Davies (@WSL_Jono, X), and The Sports Haven (@havensportsmedia, Youtube) have seized this opportunity, building vibrant communities through their fantasy football leagues and creating engaging content for fans. Beyond the game itself, these content creators have found ways to connect with long-time supporters and newcomers, deepening the bond between fans and women’s football.
Dylan C: Innovating with Data and Passion
Dylan, a San Diego native, credits attending San Diego Wave games and witnessing moments like Alex Morgan’s four-goal debut for deepening his interest in women’s football. With an extensive fantasy sports background from childhood, he wondered where he could find fantasy football games for the women’s league. In 2020, he discovered the ShePlays league, and though starting off as a player, he was able to contribute to the ShePlays team by drawing on his data analytics experience and compiling charts and dashboards to help others navigate the game.
Dylan explained how fantasy leagues allow fans to discover lesser-known players who make significant contributions to their teams, even if they don’t always show up in traditional goal or assist scoresheets. He emphasised how the ShePlays platforms specifically encourage fans to pick players widely as their scoring system provides points for defensive and offensive actions beyond the traditional goal, assist and clean sheet.
“Players who wouldn’t typically be on the radar for casual fans become important because of their defensive actions or other critical roles. Fantasy football becomes a learning tool and a way to stay engaged.”
As a data analytics enthusiast, Dylan also highlighted the ongoing challenges of accessing comprehensive women’s sports statistics. However, resources like FBref and social media accounts have been invaluable. Dylan believes integrating fantasy football into official league platforms, similar to the Premier League’s fantasy game, could attract more casual fans and accelerate the growth of women’s football globally.
WSL Jono: Championing Community and Strategy
WSL Jono, who transitioned from Fantasy Premier League (FPL) to Women’s Super League fantasy football, has established himself as a prominent and engaging voice in the space. Once known as FPL Jono, he found the men’s game overly saturated and formulaic, with clear-cut “right” and “wrong” player picks each week. The women’s game, however, offered a refreshing challenge that required deeper research and a more creative approach to team selection.
Jono shared that the women’s fantasy football community feels more inclusive and welcoming:
“It could be your first game or your tenth game, but the community is very welcoming. It’s not about out-ranking everyone but about enjoying the game together.”
Jono uses his fantasy football experience to help others through thoughtful content, including player comparisons, and strategic insights. He emphasised the importance of planning ahead, particularly in the women’s game, where fixtures can be unpredictable, and access to data is limited. Apps like FotMob and insights from content creators within the WSL community have been key tools in his research process.
For Jono, content creation is both a passion and a way to give back to the community.
“I enjoy making content, and if it helps someone, that’s even better. The women’s game offers unique challenges, and I love sharing my knowledge to help fans navigate those challenges.”
The Sports Haven: Bringing Women’s Fantasy Content to Youtube
The Sports Haven stands out as one of the only Youtube channels dedicated to women’s football content, filling a much-needed gap in the largely male-dominated Fantasy Premier League space. Initially created to add a female voice to the FPL conversation, the channel quickly expanded to include team selection videos for the WSL, due to the significant lack of women’s football and women’s fantasy content.
To address this, she began creating team selection videos for the ShePlays league, aiming to encourage others to participate while also helping fans learn about the players in the league. Like Dylan and Jono, the biggest problem faced is access to data, especially as one moves further away from Europe. Detailed information on women’s football can be scarce, particularly in regions where the sport has limited access and broadcasting. One intentional aspect of the team selection videos is the inclusion of photos of the players rather than using a jersey or icon. Recognising that many viewers may not have seen all of the players on the field before, this inclusion allows the players to become more identifiable, fostering a deeper connection between the fans and players. Through these efforts, The Sports Haven is playing a pivotal role in making women’s fantasy football more accessible and visible to a wider audience.
Breaking Barriers and Building Community:
The growth of women’s football has resulted in the creation of more content, building upon what was present before, and bringing women’s football into a spotlight like never before. Creators like Dylan, Jono, and The Sports Haven provide fans with different content to foster a sense of community among the women’s football and fantasy football space. Their contributions are helping to break down barriers, create opportunities, and elevate the visibility of women’s football, demonstrating that fantasy football has a place for everyone.
As women’s football continues to grow, the work of creators like Dylan and Jono will be instrumental in shaping its future ensuring that the sport and the communities around it thrive for years to come.
