As the WSL grows, so does the challenge facing Irish exports

The Women's Super League has been on an upward curve for a while, but in 2022 its growth was supercharged.

England won the Euros on home soil and - according to Deloitte - aggregate WSL club revenue more than doubled the following season.

Interest levels exploded, greater commercial opportunities followed.

The trend continued last season. Arsenal's average attendance rose from 16,796 to 29,999 after they played more games at the Emirates Stadium. In May, they confirmed the Emirates will be their primary home ground for the coming campaign with demand for tickets showing zero signs of slowing down.

Things aren't perfect. While the Gunners are a shining light in terms of matchday crowds, the likes of Liverpool, Everton and even the well-resourced Manchester City actually had slight dips in their average gates last season.

There's also a disparity between those at the top and at the lower end of the division, with clubs' commitment levels on a sliding scale when it comes to pumping resources into their women's teams.

However the landscape generally looks healthy, ripe for more improvement, and the sense of purpose has been further enhanced by the establishment of a new independent entity - Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) - that will oversee both the WSL and the Championship from the start of this season.

WPLL has been backed by a £20m interest-free loan from the Premier League, while Nikki Doucet, the former general manager of Nike Women UK and Ireland, will serve as the body's chief executive. One of her most important tasks will be to negotiate a new broadcast deal after the current rights agreement with the BBC and Sky Sports ends next year.

She'll take a seat at the table holding a pretty strong hand.

"It's a