It feels as though we are living through an important moment in women’s sports. Soccer, in particular, has become increasingly popular and has taken hold far outside its traditional core fan base. With domestic and international tournaments attracting a lot of media attention and bigger crowds, the future looks bright.
It is quite common to see games being played in front of big crowds, broadcast live on major networks, and featured on top sportsbooks like MyBookie. There may be issues still to be addressed within the game – but the men’s game is not without its faults either.
As another season of high-class entertainment begins in the NWSL, we thought we would take a look at how far women’s soccer has come, the state of the game today, and what we can expect from the future.
A Brief History
Most people now know the basic history of women’s soccer. Women have been playing the game for as long as men and the first fixtures were recorded back in the 1880s. The sport became very popular in the next 30-40 years and games in England were drawing over 20,000 at around the time of WW1.
But the decision by the English Football Association to ban women’s soccer in 1921 severely affected the development of the leagues and tournaments, while men’s soccer…
