Visa adds 33 women’s soccer players to Team Visa program ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup

With the record-breaking success of the Women’s March Madness and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup fast approaching, it’s no surprise that brands are turning their attention to women’s soccer.

One brand taking notice is Visa, who recently added 33 women’s soccer players to its Team Visa program in honor of the 100-day countdown mark. Visa has been a longtime sponsor of women’s soccer, and has supported over 500 athletes from around the world since 2000. Of those athletes, 54% are women, according to Andrea Fairchild, SVP and head of sponsorships at Visa.

The new lineup includes three professional soccer players in the US: Mallory Swanson, Sam Mewis, and Catarina Macario. As part of the program, Visa provides its athletes with a range of benefits, including mental health resources, financial literacy training, business development opportunities, and support for philanthropic efforts they may be involved in.

Fairchild explained that Visa looks for athletes who not only have impressive athletic achievements but also embody shared values and are dedicated to leaving the game better than they found it. As she stated, “We don’t just look for the star players. We want to make sure that these individuals are creating impact.”

Visa sponsors a number of leagues and sporting events, including the Olympics, Paralympics, the US Soccer Federation, and the NFL. This investment in sports has helped boost its global reach. Fairchild explained that a significant part of this investment is in women’s sports, including the upcoming World Cup, in an effort to “close that gap” in marketing spend on men’s versus women’s sports.

The last Women’s World Cup in 2019 drew a record 1.12 billion viewers, and as of late January, over half a million tickets had already been sold for this year’s tournament, taking place in Australia and New Zealand. With brands like Visa starting to invest in women’s sports, it’s clear that the industry is starting to think differently about how they partner with women athletes and give them the recognition they deserve.