The National Women’s Soccer League and Delta Air Lines have agreed to a multiyear partnership that brings the global air carrier on board as the league’s first official airline and travel partner. The league did not disclose financial terms of the deal, which starts this year, but Delta described it as a “significant investment.”
Though there is currently no charter component to the sponsorship, the league and Delta will work together to “meet the travel needs of the teams,” an NWSL spokesperson said. “Details regarding travel will continue to evolve.”
Delta, the second-largest airline in the world, will focus on fan engagement and branding opportunities. It will also support NWSL athletes through what it describes as programming around women’s empowerment and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The deal represents Delta’s first major sponsorship of a women’s professional league and its first national league sponsorship deal.
“Delta is a champion for the growth of women’s sport in the U.S. and around the world,” NWSL chief revenue officer Mitch Poll said in a release. “We’re excited to welcome their team to the family and work together as we continue establishing the NWSL as the world’s premier women’s soccer league.”
Delta (NYSE: DAL) is also a partner of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, assuming the role from United Airlines as part of a massive eight-year deal with the USOPC and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics’ organizing committee. The Atlanta-based airline chartered Team USA athletes to Beijing this year and is doing so again this month for the Paralympic Games, which start Friday. Delta’s sports sponsorship portfolio also includes a number of NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB clubs, as well as MLS’ LAFC and a handful of NCAA programs including Duke, Georgia and Georgia Tech.
“Joining the National Women’s Soccer League as its first-ever airline sponsor is a proud step in Delta’s work to support the…