LONDON: Barclays will become the first title sponsor of England’s Women’s Super League in a £10m partnership running until 2022.

The deal will begin from the 2019-20 season and means that the top tier of women’s soccer in England, which began in its current guise in 2011, will be renamed the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and will feature and a £500,000 prize pot.

The announcement is an ideal boost for the English game, three months ahead of the Women’s World Cup in France at which England will be among the favourites challenging the United States.

Kelly Simmons, the Football Association’s director of the women’s professional game, said: “It’s a real landmark moment. We obviously want to get more fans and more revenue behind the game, making sure it’s secure and sustainable for the future.

“But also the investment in schools makes sure lots of girls get the chance to play football, which is our pipeline for the future.”

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