February 16 – The Emirates is poised for the largest crowd in Barclays Women’s Super League history after selling out for Arsenal’s match versus Manchester United on Saturday.
Emirates Stadium has a capacity of just over 60,000. Arsenal women play most home games at the 4,500 capacity Meadow Park – 12 miles from the men’s permanent home in North London.
The occasion marks the second time Emirates has sold out for a women’s match, following the record-breaking turnout for the North London club’s UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final against VfL Wolfsburg in May 2023, which this weekend’s clash is set to match.
The sold-out status follows a string of impressive attendance figures at the Emirates Stadium, notably achieving a Women’s Super League (WSL) record with 59,042 spectators during the match against Chelsea on December 10 earlier in the current season.
The most attended women’s football match in the UK remains the Euro 2022 final when 87,192 fans piled into Wembley Stadium to witness the Lionesses win their first-ever European Championship title – one step further than their male counterparts the summer prior in the same stadium.
Vinai Venkatesham, Arsenal Chief Executive, said: “We are grateful for the incredible support we’ve had all season. Our supporters’ unwavering commitment and following, coupled with the performance of our team and the hard work of everyone behind the scenes at our club, has made this moment possible.
“The next step is delivering this on a consistent basis – not just at Emirates Stadium but across the league. We must continue to nurture this audience and deliver sustainable growth for the whole women’s game.”
Earlier this year, Gunners’ manager Jonas Eidevall expressed a “realistic vision” for the women’s team, foreseeing the possibility of hosting all their home matches at the 60,000-plus capacity Emirates Stadium in the near future.
Arsenal thrashed London City Lionesses 4-0 in the FA Women’s League Cup on February 14 to get their season back on track after uncharacteristic back-to-back losses against West Ham and Manchester City that saw them drop to third place in the WSL and crash out of the Women’s FA Cup in the fifth round.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714321281labto1714321281ofdlr1714321281owedi1714321281sni@g1714321281niwe.1714321281yrrah1714321281