Canadians Want Professional Women’s Sport. Most Fans Don’t Know Where to Find it.

New Canadian Women & Sport research finds demand is proven, but visibility is holding back the market’s next phase of growth

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Three in four Canadians (75%) now identify as fans of professional women’s sport, up from 67% in 2024. But 62% of those fans say they don’t know where to find the sport they want to watch. Today, Canadian Women & Sport (CWS) presents these findings in It’s Time 2026: From Milestone Moments to Market Permanence, released in partnership with Canadian Tire Corporation and IMI International.

The fourth report in the It’s Time series finds that demand is no longer the question. The opportunity now is to convert that interest into sustained fandom and long-term value.

“Canadians have made their demand clear. They’ve shown up, tuned in and demonstrated they want professional women’s sport. Now the system has to catch up,” said Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO, Canadian Women & Sport. “Working together, we can build a stronger professional sport industry and create more opportunities for women to compete and lead, and for girls to see a future for themselves in sport.”

Media coverage is the top way Canadians become fans of professional women’s sport, cited by 32% of fans. However, fans may be overestimating how much coverage exists. They estimate that professional women’s sport makes up roughly 30% of broadcast and online sports coverage. While Canada doesn’t yet have a measured national baseline, U.S. research found women’s sport accounts for just 9.2% of TV coverage on sports networks not dedicated to women’s sport.

“Our milestone of equal investment in women’s and men’s professional sport is just the beginning,” said Eva Salem, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Canadian Tire Corporation. “The opportunity now is to help more Canadians discover the athletes, rivalries and moments that make sport meaningful. When fans can find the games and stories, and more brands invest, fandom grows, strengthening the entire women’s sport ecosystem.”

There are signs of progress. Nearly half of fans say the amount, quality and accessibility of professional women’s sport coverage have improved over the past two years. Every further gain creates new opportunities to turn interest into fandom. And the impact reaches beyond the scoreboard: when women’s sport is visible, valued and supported, girls imagine more for themselves, and more women and girls get the chance to participate, compete, lead and thrive.

“I’ve been part of CWS’s Commercial Women’s Sport Initiative since day one, and the progress has been incredible to see. As both an athlete and someone who works in sports media, I’ve seen the conversation shift from proving there’s an audience for professional women’s sport to how we build on that momentum and sustain its growth. We’ve come a long way, and now it’s about making sure that progress lasts,” said Kia Nurse, Toronto Tempo Guard.

From constraint to coordination

The report’s roadmap identifies three barriers standing between fans and the games they want to watch:

• distribution models that make professional women’s sport difficult to discover
• an industry waiting for proof before sharing early-stage investment and risk
• measurement systems that undervalue how fans engage today
  

Because these barriers span the whole industry, breaking through will take broadcasters, media, leagues, teams, brands, investors and governments working together. That means meeting professional women’s sport fans on the platforms they already use, sharing early risk, and agreeing on better ways to measure success.

Research highlights

• Fandom is growing: 75% of Canadians identify as fans of professional women’s sport, up from 67% in 2024.
• Fans can’t find it: 62% of fans don’t know where to find the sport they want to watch, and 35% say it’s difficult to access on TV.
• Coverage creates fans: Media coverage is the top way people become fans (32%), yet 44% of fans say there’s too little of it.
• The perception gap: Fans estimate women’s sport receives about 30% of sports coverage. U.S. data puts its share of TV coverage at 9.2%, and Canada has no measured baseline yet.
• YouTube leads: 47% of fans use YouTube, and 31% use it to watch professional women’s sport, making it the top platform on both counts.
• Fans are ready to spend: 52% plan to buy a sports subscription to watch professional women’s sport in the next year, and 56% plan to buy merchandise.
• Brands benefit: 47% of fans are more likely to consider buying from brands that invest in professional women’s sport, and 57% feel better about brands that sponsor it.
  

Interview availability: Allison Sandmeyer-Graves and Canadian Women & Sport ambassadors are available for interviews.

Read the full It’s Time 2026 report at https://womenandsport.ca/pro-sports.

About the research

It’s Time 2026 was conducted by Canadian Women & Sport in collaboration with IMI International. The national survey of 2,043 Canadians aged 13 to 65 with no critical industry affiliations was conducted in August 2026, with a sample reflective of the Canadian population by major demographics and geographics. The report was developed with Presenting Partner Canadian Tire Corporation and additional support from Folgers® and CIBC.

About Canadian Women & Sport

Canadian Women & Sport is a national nonprofit and has been the leading voice and authority on women and sport for more than 40 years. Sport wasn’t designed for women and girls. We’re changing that. Through research that shifts thinking, advocacy that shifts policy, and guidance that shifts practice, we challenge barriers and move belief into action so every woman and girl can participate, lead and thrive in and through sport. Learn more at Canadian Women & Sport.

Media Contact:
Julia Balatbat
Hype PR
julia@hypepr.ca
416-705-3977