Women's Super League Chief Executive Receives £531,000 Compensation Amid £2.4 Million Loss
The independent company established to operate the Women's Super League has disclosed significant financial losses alongside a substantial compensation package for its highest-paid director, believed to be chief executive Nikki Doucet.
First Year Financial Results Reveal Challenging Landscape
Accounts published by Companies House for Women's Super League Football Limited show the organisation recorded a pre-tax loss of £3.1 million for the year ending July 2025. After applying tax credits, this reduced to a final loss of £2.4 million in what represents the first full financial year since the league's management transitioned from the Football Association in 2024.
The newly independent entity reported revenue of £17.4 million, primarily generated through two major income streams. Media rights contracts with broadcast partners Sky and the BBC contributed £8.7 million, while sponsorship and licensing agreements with commercial partners including Barclays, Apple and Nike generated £8.5 million.
Substantial Expenses Outweigh Revenue Streams
Total expenses reached £22.3 million, with the largest outgoing being £9.4 million distributed to member clubs across the Women's Super League and Women's Championship. Staff costs amounted to £4.3 million, including £679,000 paid to the company's directors.
These expenditures resulted in an operating loss of £8.2 million before financial adjustments. The organisation has drawn down £6.1 million from a £20 million interest-free loan facility provided by the Premier League to support operations during this transitional period.
Executive Compensation Under Scrutiny
The highest-paid director, identified by sources as chief executive Nikki Doucet, received a total compensation package worth £531,000 including pension benefits. This represents approximately three per cent of the league's total revenue for the period.
This compensation exceeds the reported £490,000 salary of the WSL's highest-paid player, Chelsea striker Sam Kerr. It also contrasts with the remuneration structure at the men's Premier League, where chief executive Richard Masters received £1.98 million in 2024, representing just 0.05 per cent of that organisation's revenue.
Transition Period Under Former Investment Banker Leadership
The financial results come during a period of significant transition for women's professional football in England. The Women's Super League has established itself as the world's highest-profile and most commercially successful women's football competition over the past decade.
Its separation from the Football Association in 2024 coincided with the implementation of raised minimum standards across the top two divisions, following recommendations from Karen Carney's comprehensive review of women's football.
This evolution has been overseen by Doucet, a former Citigroup investment banker and Nike executive who was appointed as the first chief executive of WSLF Ltd in 2023.
Challenge to Convert National Success into Club Engagement
Despite the commercial progress and structural changes, the Women's Super League faces ongoing challenges in converting interest in England's successful national team into consistent engagement with domestic club football.
The Lionesses successfully defended their European Championship title last summer, yet television viewing figures for the WSL have reportedly stagnated during the current season, highlighting the persistent gap between international tournament success and weekly club football interest.
A spokesperson for Women's Super League Football Limited stated that the organisation does not comment on individual employees' salaries, maintaining confidentiality around specific compensation arrangements while publishing the broader financial results as required by Companies House regulations.
