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The GIST: 24 Hour Fitness is bulking up its existing NWSL ties. After renewing and expanding its year-long sponsorship of San Diego Wave FC last month, the gym brand signed a multiyear deal yesterday to become a founding level partner of Angel City FC (ACFC).

The details: The partnership focuses on promoting women’s fitness and youth soccer in the Southern California community, with 10% of the deal’s investment dollars earmarked to support a local youth soccer program. Additionally, 24 Hour Fitness and ACFC will host nine free community soccer clinics of their own this year.

• Angel City superfans will also have access to an exclusive Fantasy Camp program that will allow select 24 Hour Fitness gym members to train with — and play against — ACFC athletes. Now that’s fantasy football.

The reasoning: It’s a smart play for 24 Hour Fitness to deepen its pro sports ties in the area ahead of the LA 2028 Summer Olympics, especially since it’s been a prominent Olympic sponsor before. In the meantime, the California company can continue to amplify its presence in LA — the on-brand collabs should create community goodwill, while also promoting public health and grassroots soccer.

Zooming out: This story follows a recent trend of more founding-level partnerships in women’s sports, including two during the PWHL’s inaugural season. Existing sponsors are also getting more and more invested, as seen by 24 Hour Fitness sponsoring two NWSL clubs. The soccer league’s high ROI and major media rights deal are making sponsors bullish. It’s showtime.

The GIST: As the UK further invests in expanding its women’s soccer footprint, governmental agency UK Sport shared its ambitions to host the country’s first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) in the 2030s. Playing the long game.

The details: The WWC joins the men’s Rugby World Cup as one of several new additions to the funding body’s proposed list of 70 major event hosting targets. A feasibility evaluation for the WWC is next, which considers factors such as the bidding process, financial impacts, venue availability, chances of bid and the Lionesses’ success, and potential for social impact.

The timing: As of now, UK Sport is targeting either the 2031, 2035, or 2039 WWC tournaments, but that could change once the 2027 host is announced this May. If the Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium bid wins for 2027, the UK would have to push its bid back to 2035 or 2039, but if either the U.S. and Mexico or Brazil wins hosting rights, the UK could have a go as early as 2031.

• China, England, Morocco, and South Africa have already expressed interest in a 2031 WWC bid, while Saudi Arabia made a splash by announcing a potential 2035 bid. Everybody wants some.

Zooming out: The UK’s plan is similar to Australia’s “Golden Decade” strategy, which has shown continued success after hosting its first-ever WWC in 2023. The popularity of the WSL, creation of NewCo, and the Lionesses' 2023 WWC success all point to this being a winning goal.

Inspired by the glass ceiling–shattering PWHL, the sports collectibles pros at Upper Deck are leveling the playing field in another arena: sports card trading. In honor of IWD, they’re launching a free all-female digital trading card set featuring the world’s best hockey talent, including Team Canada superstars Marie-Philip Poulin and Sarah Nurse, plus Captain America herself, Kendall Coyne Schofield.

• What’s more, this launch celebrates the start of Upper Deck’s exclusive license with the PWHL, yet another milestone for the game-changing league. Women hockey players finally are getting the fandom they deserve — now that’s a moment worth immortalizing.