Boost to women's football in Spain sparks fresh power battle

Spain’s domination of men’s football in Europe may be over but in the women’s game it leads the way after a season of unprecedented interest and swelling financial support.

A month earlier, 48 121 attended Athletic Bilbao’s cup game against Atletico at San Mames, more people than at any of the men’s games in the Basque city this season. The idea supporters might watch their women’s team, in the same ground and just as often, as the men’s side, remains a distant concept in most of Europe’s elite football nations.

“The first thing we had to change was the visibility,” said Malabia. “And second, we had to improve the product.”Utilities firm Iberdrola signed a deal in 2016 to be the league’s main sponsor while in March, Mediapro extended its contract to broadcast women’s football in Spain until 2022. Television swiftly transformed the numbers. Last year, 7-million tuned in cumulatively over the season’s 117 games. Halfway through the current season, that figure had already reached 5-million.

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