According to the fifth edition of the study “The Visibility of Female Athletes in the Media”, conducted by APPLE TREE and acceso, women’s sport continued to advance in 2025, reaching a 26% share of visibility in the media, measured by the number of news stories published, compared with men’s competitions. This represents a one-point increase on 2024, when visibility stood at 25%.
In terms of notoriety, measured by audience, women’s sports competitions also achieved 26%. The study was presented at the “Brands for Equality in Sport” event, with the participation of Luz García Cajete, Director of Communications at MAPFRE Spain; Rocío Rey, Sponsorship Manager at Telefónica; Lucía Santiago, Press Officer at the Higher Sports Council; and Javier Perales, Senior Manager Brand & Sponsorship for Spain and Portugal at Visa.
Commenting on the results, Carme Miró, CEO and Founder of APPLE TREE, said: “According to this research, the visibility and notoriety of women’s sports competitions in the media have doubled in just five years. But the important point is not the increase itself; it is the evidence that women’s sport is becoming established in the media in a normalised and consistent way, pointing to a future full of optimism for the athletes of tomorrow.”
Alfredo Orte, Intelligence Manager at acceso, said during the presentation of the report today in Madrid: “Across the five editions of the study, we have seen notable progress in media coverage, with our female athletes gaining greater prominence and relevance. However, we have also identified important nuances in this evolution, which show that progress has become much slower in recent years.”
Men are the main television audience for sport, including women’s sport
The gender profile of televised sports broadcasts reveals that men represent the majority audience across all the competitions analysed. Most viewers are men, even in tournaments led by women, while women account for a minority of the audience in some of these events. Only international national-team tournaments exceed 40% female audience share for TV broadcasts.
Sports media dominate attention around women’s sport
Although the study shows there is still a long way to go before women’s sport receives equal media attention and space, the media-by-media analysis shows that Mundo Deportivo, Sport and AS publish the highest volume of stories on women’s sports competitions, across both print and online editions. Catalan media also stand out in the ranking, largely thanks to the success of FC Barcelona.
The visibility of female athletes on social media remains light years behind their male counterparts
Although traditional linear television remains an important channel, fans of women’s sport are finding in social media an alternative space that allows them to build a closer connection with their sporting role models. In the digital environment, visibility is no longer measured only by medals and victories, but by the ability to generate community. Female athletes have demonstrated a strong capacity to build authentic personal brands.
Social media is reshaping global sports culture, helping ensure that the current growth is not a passing trend but a structural shift built on a young, digital and engaged fan base. However, Spanish female athletes remain light years behind their male counterparts in terms of follower numbers. The Spanish ranking is dominated by women’s football stars who are gradually gaining greater relevance. The top five Spanish female athletes with the most followers on social media are Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí, Paula Badosa, Carolina Marín and Athenea del Castillo.
About the study
The study “The Visibility of Female Athletes in the Media” analysed more than 74,860 news stories published by Spanish media during 2025. A representative sample of men’s and women’s sports competitions was selected to provide a comparable benchmark in terms of media impact and audience following.
