There’s no denying that Taylor Swift has changed the face of soccer, or at least its fandom. NFL viewership among young women has skyrocketed since the pop megastar appeared at a Kansas City Chiefs game in September 2023 to cheer on her new boyfriend, tight end Travis Kelce. Games featuring Miss Americana regularly spike across the female demographic, from teens to college students to those 35 and older, according to Nielsen and NBC ratings. With the power couple announcing their engagement in August, the influx of new football fans is likely to increase, and the NFL ecosystem is changing to serve this passionate female demographic. Here’s how soccer is enticing more women to watch (and spend) money.
Participation in the field
On-field jobs, from referees to scouts to iPad-wielding assistants, are increasingly held by women. This season, there are 358 women in coaching and football operations jobs within the league, up from just 92 in 2020. “The goal is normalization and balance,” said Sam Rapoport, the NFL’s diversity and inclusion consultant and founder of the NFL Women’s Forum. “I’m not really a fan of ‘the future is female.’ I think the future is balanced.” This coincides with the growing interest from women in the league. According to 2025 SSRS Sports Poll numbers, 47% of the U.S. NFL fan base is female, and women account for 40% of the league’s international growth.
Advertising isn’t just for men
Yes, the majority of ads that run during NFL games still sell light beer, sports betting, and junk food. But astute viewers noticed several passages during the first week that bucked sibling-centric convention. Pampers was an advertiser during the first week of Sunday’s games, targeting female viewers who typically do the majority of their baby shopping. Hyundai also debuted a Palisade ad starring Parker Posey during the first game of the season, relying on the “White Lotus” star’s charisma rather than soccer advertising staples such as retired athletes or comedians. “When you think about family, family influences about 80 percent of car purchasing decisions,” said Kate Fabian, director of marketing communications for Hyundai Motor America. “That’s why connecting with women is important to us. The NFL is the biggest cultural stage in many ways. It’s a place where families and communities come together.”
new voice
Kate Scott made NFL history on September 28 when she became the first woman to call a regular season game for Westwood One, the league’s official radio partner. “It’s an incredible honor. I grew up listening to football on the radio with my dad,” Scott said. And she hasn’t forgotten the big step she took to become a member of the national team.
“When I’m in the broadcast booth, I bring with me a lot of the women I’ve met over the years, because I know that many women before me would have wanted to do this, but it was too soon,” she says. “They were ahead of their time.”
And what was the reaction from men? “Some people are very honest and say, ‘I hated it at first, but now my daughter is paying more attention to the sport,'” Scott says. “There’s always going to be people who doubt you can do it just because you’re a woman,” she added. “So work hard and prove them wrong.”
Fashion meets fanbase
Merchandise is not only the ultimate expression of team loyalty, but it’s also big business, generating billions of dollars for the NFL. However, for some female fans, the style for women leaves something to be desired.
“Everything I own was bought in the men’s section because I didn’t wear things that were available for women,” says Zara Terez Tisch of Terez, a clothing line that aims to move sports apparel in a different direction. Tisch is currently partnering with the NFL to produce officially licensed gear. Collaboration between the league and the offseason also came about naturally. Co-founder Kristin Juszczyk created custom game-day apparel for players’ wives and later created a jacket for Swift. And the rest was history.
“Even though I never wanted to be in the sports field, our mission has always been to bring people together,” Tisch says. “In a male-dominated industry, we need to celebrate the women behind the athletes, the women at home, the women on the field, and the women on the team.”
