ESPN strikes deal with Barclays Women’s Super League

As the NWSL continues to grow the sport of women’s soccer stateside, the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) is doing the same overseas.

Now, the BWSL will be a prominent fixture on ESPN platforms.

Per a press release from the network on Thursday, ESPN and the BWSL have agreed to a media rights deal that will see 57 matches air on ESPN platforms. A minimum of four such matches will air on an ESPN linear network, including a Friday tilt between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur which is slated for 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The remaining matches will be streamed live exclusively on ESPN+.

Friday’s game will be called by play-by-play commentator Mark Donaldson alongside ESPN’s lead women’s soccer analyst Ali Krieger. In addition to the English-language broadcasts, ESPN will air select BWSL matches in Spanish on ESPN+, including Friday’s game.

ESPN has already shown a commitment to women’s soccer, having just begun a four-year deal with the domestic NWSL this year. That agreement will see the network broadcast 20 games on linear television between ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 each season — 17 regular season games, two quarterfinals, and one semifinal.

The BWSL is the top-flight women’s soccer league in England. The 12-team league consists of familiar English Premier League staples like Chelsea and Manchester United. Similarly to the NWSL’s impact in the United States, the BWSL has raised the standard of women’s soccer overseas.

The addition of the BWSL is another feather in ESPN’s cap for its continued focus on highlighting women’s sports.

[ESPN PR]