Durham Women Football Club

What Durham Women Football Club does

Durham Women Football Club is a private, fully professional women's football club competing in the Barclays Women's Super League 2, the second tier of English women's football. The club was formed in 2014 through a merger of South Durham & Cestria Girls and Durham University and plays home matches at Maiden Castle, a Durham University sports facility in Durham city centre. The first team operates alongside a structured talent pathway that includes Emerging Talent Centres, U21, U16 and U14 squads and a sister-club relationship with Durham Cestria, which competes in the FA Women's National League Northern Division One. The club's squad has produced multiple players who progressed to the Barclays Women's Championship and international level, including Beth Hepple, Lauren Briggs, Zoe Ness, Lily Crosthwaite, Grace Ayre, Poppy Pritchard, Ella Wilson and Anna King.

Revenue is generated primarily through match day ticket sales (adults £12, students £8, under 16s £6, with 20%+ group discounts for 9+ people), season ticket subscriptions, merchandise sales (replica shirts £50, leisure shirts £25, scarves, caps and other items), sponsorships from brands such as Nike, Hummel, TicketCo, iPRO, Swizzels, MKM, Specsavers and Vision for Education, individual player sponsorship packages at £500+VAT, match day programme sales at £3, and on-site catering and hospitality through partners including Fat Frank's Street Food Truck and Café Nero. Distribution runs through the TicketCo online platform and on-site turnstile and ground sales. Ownership is private, with Geoff Thompson acquiring a majority stake in June 2026 alongside a co-investor, following an earlier ownership change and investment from Patrick and Frances Connolly in early 2025.

The club has no proprietary technology platform, software product, or AI capability; its commercial activity is concentrated around match day attendance, sponsorship inventory, and digital engagement via social media (over one million monthly reach across X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube). Community engagement is delivered through the multi-year Sister Club Network of grassroots junior clubs and through Junior Takeover Days run with education partners. The club is 12th in the WSL2 standings in the 2025/26 season, is advertising active vacancies in marketing, performance and coaching functions, and has stated plans to develop a High Performance Centre for Female Sport.

Name

Durham Women Football Club

Legal name

Durham Women Football Club

Website

https://durhamwfc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Durham Women Football Club is a private, fully professional women's football club competing in the Barclays Women's Super League 2, based at Maiden Castle in Durham, UK, generating revenue from match day tickets, merchandise, sponsorships, player sponsorship and broadcast windfalls while operating a youth-to-professional player pathway.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Women's Football Club

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB), Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE), Team & League Branded Merchandise Retail (Non-Apparel) (CRAMAOAF)

Keywords

• Women's professional football
• Football match tickets
• Football club membership
• Football merchandise sales
• Sports sponsorship packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from match day tickets for league, cup, and friendly fixtures sold online via TicketCo platform and at turnstiles. Adults £12, Students £8, Under 16 £6. Group discounts of 20%+ available for 9+ people.
2. Season Tickets: Annual season ticket packages providing access to all home league games. Premium and standard options available for adults and children.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of club merchandise including Hummel replica shirts (£50), leisure shirts (£25), scarves (£15), caps (£15), beanies (£15), mugs (£10), and pocket money items at home games and club shop.
4. Sponsorship & Partnerships: Commercial partnerships with kit supplier (hummel), ticketing partner (TicketCo), hydration partner (iPRO), sweets partner (Swizzels), education partner (Vision for Education/Durham Sixth Form Centre), building materials partner (MKM), and other brands. Includes jersey sponsorship, advertising rights, and brand activation opportunities.
5. Player Sponsorship: Individual player sponsorship packages priced at £500+VAT offering 2 season tickets, signed match-worn shirt, half-page advert in match day programme, and logo placement alongside player online.
6. Match Day Programme Sales: Digital and print match day programmes sold for £3 each, featuring team news, interviews, and kids activities.
7. Catering & Hospitality: Revenue from food and beverage concessions including Fat Frank's Street Food Truck, Club Room Bar, and Cafe Nero on match days.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Durham Women FC is a professional women's football club competing in the Barclays Women's Super League 2 (WSL2). The club sells match day tickets, season tickets, replica merchandise, player sponsorship packages, match day programmes, and match day catering/hospitality at its home ground Maiden Castle in Durham. It also generates commercial revenue through kit, advertising, and brand partnership deals.

Product overview

Durham Women FC is a professional women's football club competing in the Barclays Women's Super League 2. The club does not operate a software product or technology platform. Its offerings consist of live football match experiences, match day tickets, season tickets, player sponsorship packages, and merchandise. The club operates a ticketing system via TicketCo for match attendance, publishes digital match day programmes, and offers a newsletter subscription service. No proprietary technology products, APIs, or software platforms are offered to external customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Match Day Tickets Single-match tickets for league, cup and friendly fixtures at Maiden Castle, sold online and at turnstiles for individual supporters and families.
• Season Tickets Annual subscription packages providing access to all home league games, with premium and standard adult and child options.
• Club Merchandise Replicas and leisure apparel plus accessories bearing the club badge, supplied by Hummel and sold at Maiden Castle on match days.
• Player Sponsorship Packages Annual individual player sponsorship packages priced at £500+VAT, offering 2 season tickets, signed match-worn home or away shirt, half-page match day programme advert, and name/logo alongside the sponsored player online.
• Match Day Programmes Print and digital match day programmes sold for £3 each, featuring team news, player interviews, sponsor advertising, and kids activities.
• Match Day Catering & Hospitality Food and beverage concessions on match days at Maiden Castle, including Fat Frank's Street Food Truck, the Club Room Bar, and Cafe Nero.
• Commercial Sponsorship & Advertising Packages Annual commercial partnership and advertising packages including kit, jersey, programme, perimeter and on-site activation opportunities for brands seeking association with Durham Women FC.

Quantifiable outcome

• First sell-out game achieved in 2021/22 season against Manchester United
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TicketCocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 June 2026TicketCo continues as Durham Women's Official Ticketing & Fan Journey Partner for 2026/27 season. Provides the club's online ticketing platform (durhamwfc.ticketco.events) for match tickets, season tickets, and Emerging Talent Centre bookings.
• hummelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKit supplier and official partner providing club apparel, training gear, and replica shirts. Hummel logo appears on club website as an official club partner.
• SwizzelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sweets Partner announced May 2026. Swizzels is a confectionery brand offering products including Love Hearts.
• iPRO HydrateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHydration & Wellness Partner providing sports drinks and hydration products for players. Partnership established August 2015.
• Vision for Education / Durham Sixth Form CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner working with the club on Junior Takeover Days and inspirational community engagement activities for schools and students.
• MKM Building SuppliesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilding materials partner with local branch in Durham. Provides support for club facilities and infrastructure.
• Bede (Bedecraft Education)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducation partner through Bede Institute of Sport and Education, supporting the club's academic and sporting development programmes.
• Shrewd HRminorOthersHR services partner providing human resources support and advice to the club.
• Junior Grassroots Football Clubs (Sister Club Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree Sister Club Network programme for grassroots clubs providing free match tickets, coach education webinars, mascot experiences, and exclusive tournament access. Tiered rewards system up to 200 attendees including player visits and behind-the-scenes days. Running for close to a decade with reimagined offering for 2026/27.
• Durham UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership formed in 2014 for WSL entry, with Quentin Sloper (head of sport at Durham University) co-founding the club. The club plays at Maiden Castle, a Durham University sports facility.
• NikecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGroundbreaking kit and equipment partnership signed summer 2023 with world-leading sports brand Nike.
• SpecsaversminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHalf Time Penalty Shootout Challenge sponsor at home games.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sheffield United Women: Direct WSL2 peer competing in similar Northern England catchment. Comparable scale of women's operation, similar sponsorship stack, and shared second-tier commercial dynamics with Durham.
• Charlton Athletic Women: Direct WSL2 competitor with strong community roots and grassroots engagement emphasis - closely analogous to Durham's Sister Club Network approach and family-focused positioning.
• Bristol City Women: Also competes in Barclays WSL2 as a fully professional women's football club. Directly comparable in league tier, business model (ticketing, sponsorship, merchandise), and Southern England regional supporter base of similar scale.
• Birmingham City Women: Established WSL2 club with longer professional history. Comparable matchday ticketing, sponsorship, and merchandise business model, and a useful benchmark for Durham's commercial maturity path.
• Newcastle United Women: Competing WSL2 club located in the same North East region as Durham. Closest geographic competitor with overlapping supporter base, identical league schedule, and similar positioning around a parent men's club affiliation.

Broad incumbents

• Manchester United Women: Top-tier WSL club that draws Durham's biggest crowds (sell-out fixture 2021/22) and serves as the aspirational benchmark for attendance and sponsorship economics. Operates at significantly larger scale but in the same women's football pyramid.
• Manchester City Women: Top-flight WSL club whose FA Cup tie against Durham in January 2024 sold out in record time and was broadcast live on BBC. Useful comparison for high-attendance game economics and broadcast value.
• Liverpool Women: Top-tier WSL club owned by a major Premier League parent. Useful benchmark for what the Durham-North East operation could look like with a Premier League parent injection of capital and infrastructure.

Others

• TicketCo: Durham Women's official ticketing and fan journey partner. Comparable as a B2B platform serving sports clubs, but listed here as a relevant ecosystem/technology peer given the multi-year commercial integration.

Regional players

• Sunderland AFC Women: North East women's football club competing below WSL2. Operates in the same regional catchment as Durham, representing a potential rivalry, talent feeder, or promotional pathway comparison rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DurhamWFC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDqDNVXWfrOGGXxc1a1osnQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/DurhamWomenFC
• Instagraminstagram.com/durhamwfc
• TikToktiktok.com/@durhamwfc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Durham Women Football Club