Swiss watchmaker Hublot has expanded its sponsorship of women’s football to the upcoming European Championships in 2021.

This will not be the first time Hublot has ventured into women’s football as the brand has previously sponsored the Women’s Champions League, under-19, under-17 and futsal competitions. During the Euros, held in England, Hublot will provide branded electronic boards for fourth officials to indicate extra-time and substitutions.

The expansion of Hublot’s sponsorship is part of UEFA’s continued commitment to developing partnerships with brands to propel the progression of women’s football. UEFA has been developing its brand partnerships since 2017 when it decided to separate women’s sponsorship rights from the men’s.

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Since then numerous brands have jumped on board to support women’s football and its respective competitions. Visa, for example, signed the first seven-year UEFA sponsorship deal that was purely focused on women’s football and was the headline sponsors for last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Visa’s marketing director for the UK and Ireland, Suzy Brown, believes Visa linking up with the women’s World Cup was about “more than a partnership… we really see it as a partnership”.

“We’re using women’s football – and the Fifa Women’s World Cup, in this instance – to demonstrate our belief and desire for equality, diversity and inclusion,” she told SportsPro in June.

Guy Laurent-Epstein, UEFA’s marketing director of Events SA, thinks Hublot’s expanded sponsorship is a sign of the strength of the women’s game.

“Agreeing partnerships with world-famous brands like Hublot is exactly the kind of results we envisaged when we unbundled the rights from the men’s game over two years ago and is proof women’s football can be supported on its own merits.”

The news that more brands are looking to develop their financial links to women's football is welcome news. Despite this, women's sports need to continue to receive investment and sponsorship in order to expand their reach and continue to develop. Without financial investment, there is very little chance of sustainable progress.