91,533 fans at Camp Nou for Barça Femení

💥👉🏾 91,553 fans experienced a world record historic moment at Camp Nou Barcelona tonight.

🌍🙏🏾 I feel overwhelming gratitude. This moment is an accumulation of the years of dedication by the activists, the pioneers, the hustlers, and the risk-takers all over the world. Who - day in, day out - commit their lives to making sport better for women. These moments help us to see what's possible of humanity, to understand that football isn't inherently a man's game, and that society is just better with equality... (And take stock of the fact that there is still a long way to go...)

❤💙 But wow - this moment!! An example of what can happen when a club, a city, some insanely talented athletes, and good vibes only fans come together.

MEANWHILE….

🔦 As FC Barcelona Femení wowed a packed-out Camp Nou stadium, something else was bubbling away that day to move the dial on professional women´s football in Spain.

🔥 Former FC Barcelona board member, Maria Teixidor, and sports lawyer, Reyes Bellver, hosted US investors at Barcelona´s new women-only members club, Juno House.

❓ Why...

👉 Because Maria Teixidor and Reyes Bellver have submitted their joint candidacy to run a brand-new professional women´s league in Spain that has a distinct identity, product, and experience from the men´s league, in a campaign called “This is the moment. Commitment and ambition”.

💶 And on this day, they announced that their candidacy would come with an investment commitment of €40 million from Muse Capital and league title sponsorship of €10 million by start-up football app, Gloria. (The current league title sponsor is Spanish energy company, Iberdrola, in a deal that is reported to be €1 million per season until 2024/25).

🗳️ There have been other candidate submissions to run the new pro league from Ainhoa Tirapu, María Tato, and Ana Muñoz. There will be some twists and turns in the coming months during which time clubs will elect on the new presidency.

❓ Why has the possibility of a new professional women´s league come about?

⚽ The Spanish Sports Council determined topflight women´s football as professional as of this season 2021/22. Having professional status, therefore, allows the league to be run independently.

🥂 At long last!!

#futbolfemenino #FutFem #Barcelona #Investment #WomensFootball