Women’s Football: The USWNT Phenomenon, BarçA’s Revolution, and How Women’s Kits Are Changing the Industry

Women's football has the most participation in sports competitions in the world, more than its counterpart in the sport. In 2025, the US Women's National Team is expected to be the most dominant team in the soccer world, while FC Barcelona Femení has been advancing in competition with other European teams. The world audience and attendees keep increasing the sport. The comparison change rate of the sport is increasing more and more.

In this context, the sport is also evolving to meet new challenges in performance, and sustainability in the apparel industry is setting the pace for other industries. The upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia is one of the many investments in women's football across Asia. The growth in participation in this region is significantly adding to the already prevailing economic challenges in the sport.

The Impact of the US Women's National Team (USWNT) Phenomenon

The USWNT has valued and embodied sustained dominance in Women's football because of its legacy built on 4 FIFA Women's World Cup titles and Star rankings. In 2025, Hayes and the USWNT's coaching team continued their unbeaten run, while also incorporating young players. For example, on June 26, 2025, the USWNT won a friendly match 4-0 against the Republic of Ireland. US football odds were in the Americans' favor, and defender Avery Patterson scored her 1st international goal. Additionally, 18-year-old Jordyn Bugg earned her 1st international cap. On June 29, the team won another match 4-0 against Ireland at TQL Stadium. This was the 600th program victory. Captain Lynn Biyendello scored and celebrated her 25th goal and assisted in the match. Also, debutant Izzy Rodriguez scored.

This transition is marked positively because the veterans of the team, like Rose Lavelle, who accomplished the remarkable milestone of 25 goals and 25 assists, are balanced with the young players, like Alyssa Thompson.

• Strategic Depth and Tactical Understanding: USWNT is tactically positioned strategically, which enables the coaching staff to balance young and veteran players without losing the competitive edge.
• Equal-Pay Advocacy: US Soccer's 2019 settlement has global equity results. Fair pay has become a standard in the US as compensation begins to balance in sports. The success of merchandise sales provides a major revenue stream for US Soccer and helps fund the team's scheduled activities for 2025, which include a 2-1 SheBelieves Cup victory over Australia on February 23.

The team's successful performance helps build visibility in Asia, where audience interest is growing for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup. Success on the pitch encourages investment in the sport through the commercial value generated, and success on the pitch encourages participation at the grassroots level.

BarçA’s Revolution

FC Barcelona Femení has built the most successful women's club footballing team in Europe. They achieved an unprecedented domestic treble in the 2024-25 season, winning La Liga, the Copa de la Reina, and the Supercopa de Espana Femenina, and continued to defend the titles into the 2025-26 season, including a 5-0 Supercopa final victory over Real Madrid Femenino in January. The team also won their fifth consecutive league title and sixth straight Liga F title during this stretch, culminating in a Copa Catalunya victory that completed a rare quadruple. The squad, which has access to the services of multiple Ballon d'Or winners like Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati, also won the UEFA Women's Champions League for the sixth time in 7 years, completing an impressive season.

Innovative structures are as much a part of the revolution as the trophies Barcelona has won. Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, continues to produce talent, with Vicky López winning individual honors in 2025. Financial fair play restrictions were placed against the men's team, with player salaries capped at €319 million for 2024-25, and limited spending on the women's team to €11 million. This resulted in a quiet 2025 transfer window, with only 17 active first-team contracts as of August. Still, the team reported €17.9 million in revenue for the 2023-24 season, the highest of any women's club in Europe, according to Deloitte's Football Money League, which highlights self-sustainability. The renewed focus of Nike's partnership with Barcelona Femeni, and in particular on women's soccer, proves the commercial viability of women's soccer, as evidenced by the team's global reach in the sales of their jerseys.

Barcelona Femeni 2024-25 Season Best Results

How Women's Soccer Jerseys Are Changing

Women's football kits have come a long way from being a one-size-fits-all generic uniform. Nike's 2025 football kits incorporate 4D data and body-mapping fabrics to help protect players from overuse injuries like ACL tears. Nike's use of 4D data and recycled materials will help grow the football market and maintain the eco-friendly value of recycled polyester.

• Body-mapped ventilation: Mesh areas decrease overheating by 20% during critical moments of a match.
• Sustainable fabrics: 70% of 2025 kits will use recycled materials.
• Injury prevention: Flexible seams are designed to reduce ACL strain during a match.
• Cultural integration: US Soccer's heritage fusion kits for 40 years of USWNT.
• Advancing Under the Radar: Asia will be adopting jasmine kits for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup.

Global Impact and Future Prospects

The growth of women's football, like that of the USWNT and Barcelona Femení, reaches cultural and economic influence beyond the field. Increased media attention, particularly in Asia, has focused on women's matches, rising especially in Japan and Australia. Nike's sponsorship of leading women's teams indicates robust commercial agreement, while grassroots efforts broaden access for young aspiring players. The sport's continued growth is evident in the positive changes being made, including innovations in kit design and equitable investment for a more inclusive and competitive future.