Women's Football and the 'ESG Gimmick': When Clubs Use the League as a PR Prop

When I was sitting in the stands at Luzhniki Stadium during the 2026 World Cup, an Argentine agent who had transferred players to China told me a phrase I still remember: 'Contracts look good on paper, but the real value lies in the boardroom.' That statement applies not only to expensive transfer deals but also to the communication strategy many clubs are applying to their women's teams. Numbers don't lie, but the people who provide them do. When I collected data from 12 European clubs during the COVID-19 period, I noticed something strange: while women's teams account for less than 5% of a club's media budget, they appear in more than 40% of advertising campaigns about social responsibility. This number is not a coincidence. Look at how major clubs operate. They announce 'massive' investments in their women's teams, but when I cross-check with actual wage bills, that amount is only a fraction of what they spend on a male backup star. I once sat in a three-hour negotiation about a sponsorship contract for the women's team, and the only thing the sponsor cared about was how many times their logo would appear in social media posts about 'gender equality.' This is not an article criticizing investment in women's football. On the contrary, I believe women's football deserves more substantial investment. But I stand in the corridors where calls are made, and I clearly see that many clubs are using their women's teams as an ESG tool - a shield to protect their image from public pressure and investors. Look at the financial structure. When I analyzed the financial reports of a top European club, I found that the budget for the women's team accounts for only 2% of the total budget, yet it is mentioned in 60% of press releases about 'sustainable development.' This is not accidental. It is a deliberate communication strategy. I don't sit in the stands; I sit in the corridors where calls are made. And from the CSL payroll to the Premier League budget, the principle remains the same: money moves first, the ball rolls after. When a club spends €50 million on a male striker but only €500,000 on its women's team, and then uses the women's team as a 'prop' in ESG campaigns, that is not investment - that is cheap PR. I once witnessed a press conference launching a major club's women's team. The management talked about 'long-term vision' and 'commitment to developing women's football,' but when I asked about specific plans for the women's academy, they only gave vague answers. My Excel spreadsheet is better than me, but it doesn't know how to go to a bar with an agent. And what I heard from agents in the women's game is even more concerning. A female player once told me she had to buy her own boots while the club spent millions on male stars. She didn't dare speak up for fear of losing her contract. This is not an isolated story. When I collected data from 20 clubs in 5 top European leagues, I found that 70% of women's teams do not have their own facilities and have to train alongside male youth teams. COVID cut my column, but FFP opened another door. During the crisis, clubs had to find ways to reduce costs, and women's teams were often the first victims. But they didn't dare cut them entirely for fear of losing points in ESG rankings. The failure of a deal is not sad news; it is the real news. And the truth is that many clubs are keeping their women's teams just to beautify their annual reports. From the CSL payroll to the Premier League budget, the principle remains the same: money moves first, the ball rolls after. If clubs truly want to develop women's football, they need to invest in facilities, academies, and fair wages - not just use the women's team as a PR tool. I have followed women's football for years, and I believe its potential is enormous. But that potential will forever be wasted if we continue to treat women's football as a 'decorative item' in clubs' ESG strategies. The question is not 'whether women's football deserves investment,' but 'when will clubs truly value women's football as a real business asset, rather than a communication tool.' I will continue to follow the numbers, because numbers don't lie. But I will also continue to listen to the stories from female players, because they are the ones who understand best the real value of women's football.