A look at four key trends — from infrastructure and labor to betting and health research — with the potential to influence the trajectory of the women’s sports industry in the year ahead.

After a record-setting 2025, women’s sports entered 2026 with significant momentum. In the past year, the industry has delivered historic gains across viewership, attendance, investment and cultural relevance — proving, once again, that women’s sports aren’t a “moment,” they’re an entire movement. As leagues expand, brands lean in and fans show up in record numbers, the industry is now poised for its next phase of growth. Here are some key trends to watch in the new year as women’s sports continue to push forward.

One of the clearest signals of long-term confidence in women’s sports is the wave of investment that is going into physical infrastructure. In the last few years, there has been a flock of commitments made by teams to create purpose-built women’s sports facilities for their athletes and organizations. Not only are these facilities going to be game-changing for the athletes themselves, but they’ll be unlocking major commercial opportunities for women’s sports and opening new streams of revenue for teams that invest in them. Dedicated facilities create premium assets that teams can monetize through sponsorships and naming........

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