Women’s sports generated 28.6 billion viewing minutes in the US during the first half of 2026, according to Nielsen data, marking an 18% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
Advertising spend on women’s sports has also surged, rising 120% since 2022 as the sector continues to move further into the mainstream.
Nielsen’s latest report, More Fans, More Often: The Commercial & Cultural Evolution of Women & Sports, argues that the growth of women’s sports is no longer an emerging trend but a fundamental shift reshaping media rights, venue economics and the cultural influence of sport.
122.5 million Americans engaged with women’s sports
Nielsen estimates that 122.5 million Americans, equivalent to 52.8% of the total US population, now identify as active participants in the women’s sports ecosystem.
The size and engagement of this audience are creating an increasingly attractive proposition for brands. Nielsen describes women’s sports fans as younger, more diverse and more closely aligned with values-driven consumption.
The commercial growth of the sector is also reflected in sponsorship valuations. The WNBA has recorded a 71% increase, the NWSL an 82% rise and the LPGA a 51% increase.
Charlene Polite Corley, Nielsen’s Vice President of Inclusive Insights, said the rise of women’s sports represented a broader cultural realignment, with access to games, athlete storytelling and continued brand investment reshaping the economics and energy of global sport.
Women are driving the growth of new sports audiences
The influence of women is extending beyond women’s sports. Nielsen estimates that of the 16 million new sports fans added to the US sports ecosystem, 9 million are women.
Women are also accounting for a significant share of new fans across major men’s leagues:
- NFL: Women account for 54% of new fans
- MLB: 50%
- NBA: 45%
Between 2024 and 2026, the major leagues recording the strongest growth in female viewership were the NBA, up 55%, and the NHL, up 44%.
Women’s sports fans offer strong commercial potential
The Nielsen research also highlights the growing value of women’s sports audiences to brands.
Sixty percent of women’s sports fans say they have switched brands based on a company’s values or actions, compared with 45% of sports fans overall. Among Black fans of women’s sports, that figure rises to 67%.
Key viewing figures
Nielsen’s report highlights several major audience milestones from 2026:
- WNBA: 3.8 billion viewing minutes through the 2026 season leading into All-Star Weekend.
- Unrivaled: The 2026 Season 2 finale attracted 314,000 viewers across TNT Sports, making it the third-most-watched Unrivaled broadcast in league history.
- Women’s hockey: The 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal game averaged 5.3 million viewers on USA Network and peaked at 7.7 million, making it the most-watched women’s hockey game in broadcasting history.
- NCAA women’s basketball: UCLA’s championship victory averaged 9.9 million viewers, making it the third-most-watched women’s basketball game ever. Twenty-one tournament games surpassed 1 million viewers.
- LOVB volleyball: The April 16 Austin-Salt Lake match on USA Network averaged 163,000 viewers, setting a new record for the league.
- NCAA women’s softball: The 2026 Division I Softball Championship reached 30.7 million unique viewers, making it the most-watched softball tournament on record.
- Wimbledon: The final between Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova averaged 1.9 million viewers on ESPN, making it the tournament’s most-watched women’s championship match. Serena Williams’ comeback first-round appearance averaged 1.8 million viewers during a Tuesday afternoon broadcast.
The figures underline the growing commercial significance of women’s sports, with audiences, sponsorship valuations, advertising investment and media consumption all moving sharply higher. The sector is increasingly becoming a major growth engine for the wider sports business.