The WNBA soared once more, bolstered by expansion to 13 teams and the electrifying play of MVP Wilson, who led the Las Vegas Aces to their third title in four seasons.<\/p>\n
The season was marked by record viewership and attendance, rising merchandise sales and major new media rights deals.<\/p>\n
After welcoming the Golden State Valkyries this year, the league will expand to 15 teams in 2026 with new franchises in Toronto and Portland. Additional teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia will bring the total to 18 by 2030.<\/p>\n
Wilson became the first four-time WNBA MVP and won her third Defensive Player of the Year award. She also earned Finals MVP honors and recently appeared on the cover of Time magazine, prompting Nike to launch an ad reading, \u201cOnly a magazine can cover her.\u201d<\/p>\n
India\u2019s maiden World Cup triumph<\/strong><\/p>\n India\u2019s maiden Women\u2019s Cricket World Cup victory turned the streets of Mumbai into a carnival as fireworks lit up the night sky, drivers honked their horns and crowds danced.<\/p>\n Similar celebrations erupted nationwide as fans gathered around televisions in tea stalls and homes, a cultural milestone that sent the brand value of India\u2019s top women cricketers soaring.<\/p>\n In athletics, McLaughlin-Levrone dazzled at the World Championships, seamlessly switching from the 400-meter hurdles to win the flat 400 in the fastest time in 40 years.<\/p>\n She clocked 47.78 seconds, the second-fastest time in history behind East Germany\u2019s Marita Koch, whose record was set during the country\u2019s state-sponsored doping era.<\/p>\n Euros reach new peaks<\/strong><\/p>\n In football, the Women\u2019s European Championship in Switzerland reached new heights, eclipsing ticket sales from the 2022 tournament with two matches still to be played.<\/p>\n Switzerland\u2019s surprise run to its first quarterfinal ignited fresh interest in the women\u2019s game in a country better known for producing elite skiers and tennis players.<\/p>\n \u201cWe lost the game, but I think we gained a lot,\u201d coach Pia Sundhage said after the hosts fell to Spain. \u201cWhen people shouted my name, I felt they were shouting for women\u2019s football.\u201d<\/p>\n European champions Arsenal shattered the women\u2019s transfer record by signing Canadian forward Olivia Smith from Liverpool for 1 million pounds ($1.34 million), making her the first female player to break the seven-figure barrier.<\/p>\n Women’s sports extend reach<\/strong><\/p>\n The year also saw continued expansion across women\u2019s sports with the launch of several new leagues.<\/p>\n The Unrivaled 3×3 women\u2019s basketball league was co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart as a domestic option for players during the WNBA offseason. Rose BC, led by Chelsea Gray, won the inaugural title.<\/p>\n Despite being a fledgling league, Unrivaled paid players an average salary of $220,000, compared with the WNBA\u2019s average salary of about $120,000 per season.<\/p>\n Investors include tennis great Serena Williams, NBA players Trae Young, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner, and football star Alex Morgan. Warner Bros. Discovery, which holds exclusive media rights, recently increased its stake in the league.<\/p>\n Other leagues debuting in 2025 included the Women\u2019s Professional Baseball League, the first U.S. pro women\u2019s league in the sport since 1954, League One Volleyball and the Northern Super League, Canada\u2019s first professional women\u2019s football league.<\/p>\n \n The Daily Sabah Newsletter\n <\/p>\n \n Keep up to date with what\u2019s happening in Turkey, SIGN ME UP\n <\/p>\n \n You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/JN9LXf.png\")
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