1. Introduction

The popular interest generated from the 2000s onwards by large events between women’s national football teams has strongly stimulated investment also on a club level. In Europe, notably, more and more of the most competitive men’s teams took keenly to setting up strongly performing women’s squads.

The economic growth of women’s football has led to several changes in the configuration of their labour market. This report studies the changes occurred during the past five years (four for Spain) in ten of the principal competitions worldwide from the aspect of the players’ age, the percentage of expatriate footballers in teams, as well as that of full international players.

The sample is made up of players present at least once on the bench during matches played over the season. For the COVID 2020 year, the American NWSL was replaced by an autumn tournament. With regard to the current 2021 season, the values refer to the situation on the 7th June. Since 2017, the average number of players per squad has increased steadily with the exception of a slight drop in 2020.

Figure 1: average number of players per club (2017-2021)

Ten principal women's leagues

 
Par équipe
Saison
24.24
[2017] - Season 2016/17 or 2017
24.98
[2018] - Season 2017/18 or 2018
25.39
[2019] - Season 2018/19 or 2019
24.98
[2020] - Season 2019/20 or 2020
25.78
[2021] - Season 2020/21 or 2021

2. Age evolution

Corollary to the professionalisation of women’s football, the players’ average age on the pitch (calculated on the 1st January of each year) has risen continually over the past five seasons: from 24.3 in June 2017 to 25.3 in June 2021. The evolution towards more experienced footballers was particularly notable in two well-structured leagues: the American NWSL (+2.1 years of age) and the English Women’s Super League (+1.9 years of age). By championship, in 2021, the values vary between 22.0 years of age in the Dutch Eredivisie and 27.8 in the American NWSL.

Figure 2: average age on the pitch (2017-2021)

Ten principal women's leagues

 
Age
Saison
24.3 yrs
[2017] - Season 2016/17 or 2017
24.6 yrs
[2018] - Season 2017/18 or 2018
24.8 yrs
[2019] - Season 2018/19 or 2019
24.9 yrs
[2020] - Season 2019/20 or 2020
25.3 yrs
[2021] - Season 2020/21 or 2021

Figure 3: average age on the pitch, by league (2021)

 
Age
Ligue
22.0 yrs
Eredivisie Women (NED)
23.4 yrs
Toppserien (NOR)
24.3 yrs
Frauen Bundesliga (GER)
24.3 yrs
W-League (AUS)
25.4 yrs
Damallsvenskan (SWE)
25.5 yrs
Serie A Women (ITA)
25.7 yrs
Féminine Division 1 (FRA)
25.8 yrs
Primera División Femenina (ESP)
26.1 yrs
Women's Super League (ENG)
27.8 yrs
NWSL (USA)

In June 2021, six out of the eight teams with the oldest players on the pitch were from the United States. The highest value was measured for Orlando Pride: 29.5 years of age on average. Conversely, five Dutch teams were the youngest of the 115 surveyed. The footballers in the least experienced team, VV Alkmaar, had an average age of just 19.5. This result reflects the position of the Netherlands as a stepping-stone for young talents.

Figure 4: average age on the pitch, by club (2021)

 
Age
Club
Ligue
 
19.5 yrs
VV Alkmaar
NED
21.1 yrs
SC Heerenveen
NED
21.3 yrs
PEC Zwolle
NED
21.6 yrs
SBV Excelsior
NED
21.9 yrs
ADO Den Haag
NED
22.0 yrs
Lyn Fotball
NOR
22.1 yrs
SGS Essen 19/68
GER
22.2 yrs
Kolbotn IL
NOR
22.6 yrs
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam
GER
22.6 yrs
Klepp IL
NOR

3. Evolution of expatriates

The economic development of women’s club football has had as a corollary the increase in the international mobility of players. The growth in the percentage of expatriate footballers, those who grew up in a different association than that of their employer club, is an expression of this process. From 21.6% in June 2017, the percentage of expatriates increased to 33.0% in June 2021. This internationalisation was particularly strong in the English Women’s Super League (+19.6%). By league, in 2021, the level of expatriates ranges from just 8.1% in the Dutch Eredivisie Women to 47.0% in the Women’s Super League.

Figure 5: % of minutes for expatriates (2017-2021)

Ten principal women's leagues

 
%
Saison
21.6 %
[2017] - Season 2016/17 or 2017
24.0 %
[2018] - Season 2017/18 or 2018
25.7 %
[2019] - Season 2018/19 or 2019
30.8 %
[2020] - Season 2019/20 or 2020
33.0 %
[2021] - Season 2020/21 or 2021

Figure 6 : % of minutes for expatriates, by league (2021)

 
Age
Ligue
47.0 %
Women's Super League (ENG)
43.4 %
Damallsvenskan (SWE)
40.6 %
Féminine Division 1 (FRA)
34.8 %
Serie A Women (ITA)
33.6 %
Primera División Femenina (ESP)
31.3 %
Frauen Bundesliga (GER)
20.7 %
Toppserien (NOR)
20.6 %
NWSL (USA)
18.2 %
W-League (AUS)
8.1 %
Eredivisie Women (NED)

Many of the most competitive teams are made up of a majority of players who have grown up in a national association different from that of the club they represent. This is notably the case for Arsenal WFC and Atlético de Madrid Féminas, where expatriate footballers played over 70% of match time. This figure was over 50% in 20 of the 115 clubs studied. The lowest percentage was recorded for seven teams (0.0%).

Figure 7: % of minutes for expatriates, by club (2021)

 
Age
Club
Ligue
 
73.3 %
Arsenal WFC
ENG
72.8 %
Atlético Madrid Féminas
ESP
69.5 %
Chelsea FC Women
ENG
66.5 %
Djurgårdens IF Dam
SWE
66.5 %
Montpellier HSC
FRA
63.1 %
West Ham United
ENG
63.1 %
Paris Saint Germain
FRA
62.3 %
Sporting de Huelva
ESP
61.7 %
FC Rosengård
SWE
59.7 %
AIK Fotball
SWE

With regard expatriates, the United States stand out as the main origin. With 87 footballers abroad, they are more than twice as numerous as the second most represented foreign origin, Sweden (39). American citizens are present in all the leagues studied, with a maximum of 20 players both in Spain and in France. In total, 70 associations had at least one expatriate present in one of the ten championships analysed.

Figure 8: principal origins of expatriates (2021)

Ten principal women's leagues

Origin
 
 
Confederation
 
USA
87
CONCACAF
SWE
39
UEFA
CAN
37
CONCACAF
GER
36
UEFA
DEN
35
UEFA
NED
33
UEFA
AUS
30
AFC
FIN
30
UEFA
BRA
29
CONMEBOL
SUI
25
UEFA
FRA
25
UEFA
ISL
25
UEFA
ENG
24
UEFA
NOR
24
UEFA
SCO
21
UEFA
AUT
21
UEFA

4. Evolution of full internationals

The stronger expatriate presence goes hand in hand with an increase in the percentage of players with national A-team caps. The percentage of minutes by full internationals has increased from 39.9% in 2017 to 45.9% in 2021. During last season, internationals played more than half of the minutes in three championships: the English Women's Super League (66.2%), the American NWSL (52.9%) and the French Féminine Division 1 (50.7%).

Figure 9: % of minutes for full internationals (2017-2021)

Ten principal women's leagues

 
%
Saison
39.9 %
[2017] - Season 2016/17 or 2017
41.4 %
[2018] - Season 2017/18 or 2018
43.5 %
[2019] - Season 2018/19 or 2019
45.8 %
[2020] - Season 2019/20 or 2020
45.9 %
[2021] - Season 2020/21 or 2021

Figure 10: % of minutes for full internationals, by league (2021)

 
Age
Ligue
66.2 %
Women's Super League (ENG)
52.9 %
NWSL (USA)
50.7 %
Féminine Division 1 (FRA)
48.7 %
Frauen Bundesliga (GER)
48.3 %
Damallsvenskan (SWE)
47.9 %
Serie A Women (ITA)
43.0 %
Primera División Femenina (ESP)
28.1 %
W-League (AUS)
26.7 %
Toppserien (NOR)
17.9 %
Eredivisie Women (NED)

With 23 of the June 2021 squad members having experience in a national A-team selection, the Germans of Wolfsburg hold the record for the most internationals. Five other teams have at least 20 full internationals: Chelsea FC, Club Atlético de Madrid, FC Bayern München, Olympique Lyonnais and Arsenal WFC. This list shows the considerable impact of the big men’s clubs on the evolution of women’s football.

Figure 11: number of full internationals, by club (2021)

Nombre
 
Club
Ligue
 
23
|||||||||||||||||||||||
VfL Wolfsburg
GER
22
||||||||||||||||||||||
Atlético Madrid Féminas
ESP
21
|||||||||||||||||||||
Bayern München
GER
21
|||||||||||||||||||||
Chelsea FC Women
ENG
20
||||||||||||||||||||
Arsenal WFC
ENG
20
||||||||||||||||||||
Olympique Lyonnais
FRA
19
|||||||||||||||||||
Juventus FC
ITA
19
|||||||||||||||||||
FC Barcelona
ESP
19
|||||||||||||||||||
Manchester City WFC
ENG
18
||||||||||||||||||
Paris Saint Germain
FRA
18
||||||||||||||||||
Manchester United WFC
ENG
17
|||||||||||||||||
Everton WFC
ENG
17
|||||||||||||||||
AS Roma
ITA
15
|||||||||||||||
Reading WFC
ENG
15
|||||||||||||||
West Ham United
ENG
15
|||||||||||||||
North Carolina Courage
USA
15
|||||||||||||||
Montpellier HSC
FRA
15
|||||||||||||||
AC Milan
ITA
15
|||||||||||||||
BK Häcken
SWE
15
|||||||||||||||
Levante UD
ESP

5. Conclusion

The growing influence of the major men’s clubs in the sphere of women’s football has brought about profound structural changes in the latter. The fresh capital invested has notably stimulated the international mobility of women footballers. In the ten leagues studied, the percentage of expatriates has increased from 21.6% in 2017 to a record 33.0% in 2021.

The development of women’s football in Europe has encouraged more and more players from the United States to emigrate. In 2021, with 87 citizens abroad in the championships studied, the United States were by far the most represented expatriate origin, ahead of Sweden (39 players) and Canada (37 players).

The increasing dominance of the traditionally men’s clubs in women’s football is also a phenomenon highlighted by the study. It is clearly visible when looking through the rankings of the teams with the greatest number of full internationals. In the first 15 places of this table are 14 teams whose male counterparts play in one of the five major European championships (the big-5). This trend will certainly continue in the coming years.