The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) have announced their first-ever airline and travel partner, Delta Air Lines.

The multi-year deal will see the pair collaborate on various opportunities for fan engagement, with Delta to also work with the league to support athletes through women’s empowerment programs, and diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives.

Commenting on the deal, which will include several opportunities for key fan engagement events with focused programming around women’s empowerment and diversity and inclusion more broadly, NWSL chief revenue officer, Mitch Poll, said: “Delta is a champion for the growth of women’s sport in the US and around the world.”

“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,” Poll said.

Delta senior vice president of global brand and marketing, Molly Battin, added: “Joining the National Women’s Soccer League as its first-ever airline sponsor is a proud step in Delta’s work to support the teams and communities where we live, work and serve.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to work alongside the league to build meaningful and empowering programs that support the athletes and reach into the communities where they play,” she said.

The deal comes after the league partnered with Ally, who presented the 2022 NWSL Draft and cryptocurrency broker Voyager Digital last year.

The opening of the 10th anniversary season starts on 18 March, when group play for the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup kicks off.