May 18 – On Sunday, FC Barcelona were crowned champions of Europe with a thumping 4-0 win against English champions Chelsea in the Women’s Champions League. It marked a new high point in perception for the women’s game in Europe, with two of the biggest men’s clubs on the continent demonstrating they take the women’s game seriously.
UEFA has similarly recognised the elevating status of its women’s competitions and from next season will rebrand their flagship women’s tournament as well as increasing prize money.
The overhaul of the competition’s outlook will feature a new anthem and branding, with agency Works Ltd overseeing the Women’s Champions League’s new brand identity.
“The UEFA Women’s Champions League is a competition in its own right, with its own sporting and commercial set-up, with its own uniqueness,” said UEFA’s chief of women’s football Nadine Kessler.
“So why shouldn’t we have a separate anthem and brand attached to this competition? People need to know the UEFA Women’s Champions League, they need to have something they can relate to and be attached to and I believe such an anthem is really important for a recognisable competition.”
New look, more money
The revamp of the competition also includes increased prize money, with UEFA announcing a €24 million cash boost to teams across Europe in April (the is a quadrupling of the previous amount paid as prize money). The governing body also said that 23% of the €24 million available via “solidarity payments” will go to women’s clubs not taking part in the tournament but whose leagues are represented in the competition.
From next season, the competition will include a group stage for the first time, with centralised sponsorship and media rights from the group stage onwards “to further professionalise the competition”.
“The new brand identity of the UEFA Women’s Champions League has the potential to take the competition to the next level, by giving it the visual recognition that the world’s greatest women’s club competition deserves,” said UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.
“The new branding and anthem, together with the new competition format and commercial model, can only help to make the UEFA Women’s Champions League a more exciting proposition for both our current and prospective partners and sponsors in the future.”
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1732252633labto1732252633ofdlr1732252633owedi1732252633sni@o1732252633fni1732252633