VisualGPS Creative Trends Culture Women’s Sport: Gen Z Female Fans

In recent years, the landscape of sports fandom has undergone a significant transformation, driven by the rise of authentic storytelling and the digital engagement of younger audiences. Among these, Gen Z females are emerging as a pivotal demographic, reshaping how brands and sports organisations approach women’s sports. Getty Images' VisualGPS research reveals that 50% of European female Gen Zs now watch and follow sport and 31% actively play sport so there are significant opportunities for brands to tap into the women’s sport’s revolution by engaging this key, growing fan demographic.

Off the roaring success of the summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro football (soccer) tournament, women’s sport has arrived. Gone are the days of seeing women’s sport on the sidelines and brand sponsorship as tenuous or at best charitable. Deloitte predicts women’s elite sports global revenue at 2.35 Billion US dollars in 2025 and interestingly its Beyond the Billion Dollar Barrier 2025 report reveals that despite only 43% of competition news coverage during the Paris 2024 Olympics focusing on women athletes, they generated 53% of total engagement across social content.¹ This highlights the power of women athletes' pivotal connection with growing fandom and our VisualGPS research backs this up by showing that more than a third of UK Gen Z and Millennials (34%) say their favourite athletes are the primary reason why they engage with sports.

With relatable female sports icons like Leah Williamson, Sam Kerr, Chloe Kelly, Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles and Ilona Maher driving fandom, women’s sport is offering a more personal experience  for female Gen Z fans. Traditionally, sports fans gravitated towards team loyalty and national pride. Today, however, Gen Z female fans are following sports for the personalities, stories and behind‑the‑scenes moments that resonate on a personal level. This shift is evident in the surge of interest in women’s sports, where relatable, authentic content creates a deeper emotional connection.

Gen Z female fans want to be fans on their own terms. To help turn viewers into fans, it's important for brands to pay attention to the content that really resonates. Younger generations are more discerning than ever and can spot inauthentic content from a mile away. Our research notes that nine in 10 believe that authentic images and videos are crucial for building brand trust. They crave relatable sport content that feels real and unfiltered and they want to see themselves reflected in the sports stories they consume. Gen Zs define “authentic” as something that is “real”, “truthful” and “original”—not polished or perfect. A great example of where female athletes shared their authentic selves with younger fans is the Premier Women’s Rugby "Powered Differently" game‑changing campaign in collaboration with Getty Images.² Backed by Getty Images' Women and Girls in Sport Visual Guidelines, the traditional rugby player headshots were repictured for a younger audience by capturing how each rugby player wanted to be represented and bringing fresh perspectives to what can often be very predictable visuals.

The success of Formula 1’s female only academy, Netflix’s Drive to Survive series and the newly released F1: The Movie is making Formula 1 accessible to the mainstream, with fans now able to experience an authentic connection with the sport and its stars, as well as the people working behind the scenes. By pulling back the curtain and showing the personalities and processes that drive the business, brands can build deeper, more meaningful connections with their audiences. This approach can help turn one‑time purchasers into repeat customers. And it is not just about big brand collaborations. Smaller brand collaborations in the world of women’s sport like Arsenal’s partnership with streetwear unisex London brand Aries are also helping drive Gen Z credibility around more personal and local relevance. Through behind‑the‑scenes series, local partnerships and personality‑driven content, women’s sports organisations are increasingly showcasing the diverse stories of athletes, coaches and support staff. Highlighting these human elements fosters relatability and inspires young women to see themselves in these narratives.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are crucial for reaching Gen Z females, with visual‑first content driving engagement. F1’s visual‑first strategy on social media channels like Meta and TikTok has played a big part in its appeal to a younger audience. During live tours for example, the brand would engage with fans and tease content for upcoming seasons. By engaging with fans on social media in a new and creative way, F1 has managed to attract many newer and younger fans in particular, with 50% of F1’s followers on TikTok and 40% of followers on Instagram under the age of 25.³

This is a strategy that brands across all industries can look to replicate. VisualGPS shows that younger consumers crave entertainment and personal connection from businesses on social media too, as nearly half of Gen Zs say they use video‑first platforms as a source of entertainment. This presents an opportunity for sports rights holders and corporate brand sponsors to create engaging content for social media that shows exactly what drives the brand—whether it’s solving a customer problem, delivering quality or building a community of fans. And what is often the first step? To close visibility gaps where they exist around certain sports disciplines and Gen Z engagement. A recent example is Metro Bank’s partnership with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), working with Getty Images to close the image visibility gap in women’s and girls’ cricket and inspire the next generation of players.

Female Gen Z is poised to reshape the future of women’s sports. This demographic’s desire for entertainment, representation and genuine connection means that storytelling must go beyond scores and highlights—it's about sharing the journey, struggles and triumphs. By creating visually compelling, authentic stories, sports organisations and brands can engage this influential demographic, turn casual viewers into passionate supporters and drive meaningful growth in women’s sports. As Formula 1, Premier Women’s Rugby League and Metro Bank demonstrate with their human‑centric approach, success in today’s sports landscape hinges on telling compelling stories that resonate on a personal level—an approach that women’s sports can harness to elevate its profile and impact.

Sources
[1] Deloitte
[2] SportBusiness
[3] Kidscreen