Women's association football is a popular sport, though less watched than the equivalent men's game in most markets. In the early 20th century, women's football thrived in England, seeing crowds equal to or larger than men's football matches; between the 1920s and 1970s, women's football was banned from existing in official capacities in England and various other regions, setting it back.[1] While most men's association football attendance records were set in the 20th century, record crowds in the women's game have been set predominantly in the 21st century.
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Panor%C3%A0mica_Camp_Nou_de_r%C3%A8cord_mundial.2.jpg/400px-Panor%C3%A0mica_Camp_Nou_de_r%C3%A8cord_mundial.2.jpg)
The record attendance of a women's football match is the estimated 110,000 attendance at Estadio Azteca for the final of the 1971 Women's World Cup (organised by the Federation of Independent European Female Football (FIEFF)) between the national teams of Mexico and Denmark on 5 September 1971.[2]
The record attendance of a match recognised by FIFA is 91,648, set during a UEFA Women's Champions League match between Barcelona Femení and Wolfsburg at the Camp Nou on 22 April 2022.[3][4][5]
Barcelona also played, against Atlético Madrid, in the match at the Metropolitano Stadium which holds the domestic league attendance record of 60,739.[6] Including records not officially recognised by FIFA due to unsanctioned matches, five teams have each set the world record attendance the most times, with three each: Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C., Mexico, China, United States, and Barcelona.
Domestic leagues
editDomestic cups
editDate | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Match | Venue | Attendance | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 May 2023 | Chelsea | 1–0 | Manchester United | FA Cup final | Wembley Stadium, London | 77,390 | [3] |
30 January 2019 | Athletic Club | 0–2 | Atlético Madrid | Copa de la Reina quarter-final | San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao | 48,121 | [44] |
5 November 2023 | San Diego Wave FC | 0–1 | OL Reign | NWSL championship semi-final | Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego | 32,262 | [45] |
14 October 2023 | Aniquiladoras | 0–0 (2–1 p) | PIO | Queens Cup semi-final | La Rosaleda Stadium, Málaga | 30,044[a][b][c] | [46] |
Saiyans | 1–2 | Aniquiladoras | Queens Cup final | ||||
28 March 1971 | Sant Andreu | 2–1 | Sabadell | Catalunya Copa Pernod third-place play-off | Camp Nou, Barcelona | 30,000 | [47] |
Barcelona | 1–2 | Espanyol | Catalunya Copa Pernod final | ||||
23 May 2010 | Athletic Club | 0–2 | Barcelona | Copa de la Reina quarter-final | San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao | [30] |
Intracontinental tournaments
editInternational matches
editCompetitive matches
editInternational friendlies
editDate | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 November 2019 | England | 1–2 | Germany | Wembley Stadium, London | 77,768 | [3][64] |
7 October 2022 | England | 2–1 | United States | 76,893 | [65] | |
3 June 2024 | Australia | 2–0 | China | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 76,798 | [66] |
31 May 2024 | Australia | 1–1 | China | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 52,912 | [67] |
14 July 2022 | Australia | 1–0 | France | Marvel Stadium, Melbourne | 50,629 | [68] |
23 November 2014 | England | 0–3 | Germany | Wembley Stadium, London | 45,619 | [69] |
World record progression
editSince the first record attendance for a women's football match was set in the early 20th century, it has been superseded several times. In various nations, women's football was banned for roughly the same period, from the 1920s to the 1970s.[3][70][1]
Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Match | Venue | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 December 1917 | Dick, Kerr Ladies | 4–0 | Arundel Coulthard Factory | Charity friendly | Deepdale, Preston | 10,000[71] |
26 December 1917 | North of Ireland | 1–4 | Tyneside | Friendly | Grosvenor Park, Belfast | 20,000[72] |
29 April 1920 | Dick, Kerr Ladies[e] | 2–0 | France XI | Charity friendly | Deepdale, Preston | 25,000[74] |
27 December 1920 | Dick, Kerr Ladies[f] | 4–0 | St Helens | Charity friendly | Goodison Park, Liverpool | 53,000 |
25 December 1970 | Barcelona | 0–0 (4–3 p) | Centelles | Exhibition cup/charity friendly | Camp Nou, Barcelona | 60,000[77][a][c] |
15 August 1971 | Mexico | 3–1 | Argentina | Mundial group stage | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City | 90,000[d] |
22 August 1971 | Mexico | 4–0 | England | Mundial group stage | ||
5 September 1971 | Mexico | 0–3 | Denmark | Mundial final | 110,000[d] | |
16 November 1991 | China | 4–0 | Norway | World Cup group stage | Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou | 65,000[62] |
1 August 1996 | China | 1–2 | United States | Olympic final | Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia | 76,489 |
19 June 1999 | United States | 3–0 | Denmark | World Cup group stage | Giants Stadium, East Rutherford | 78,972 |
10 July 1999 | United States | 0–0 (5–4 p) | China | World Cup final | Rose Bowl, Los Angeles | 90,185 |
30 March 2022 | Barcelona | 5–2 | Real Madrid | Champions League quarter-final | Camp Nou, Barcelona | 91,553 |
22 April 2022 | Barcelona | 5–1 | Wolfsburg | Champions League semi-final | 91,648 |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c Considered unrecognised by FIFA due to format or match not sanctioned by its formal regulations (e.g., non-regulation pitch size or game duration).
- ^ a b Queens League plays seven-a-side football.
- ^ a b c d e As part of a double-header or other event also featuring men's football matches.
- ^ a b c d e f This event, organised without FIFA approval, was not officially recognised. Attendance figures are estimates.[2][78][51]
- ^ Dick, Kerr Ladies was credited as England in this match, which the Football Association described in 2009 as the first women's international match.[73]
- ^ Goodison Park is closer to St Helens (and may have been considered their main ground) but contemporary sources list Dick, Kerr Ladies first in the match report and score, and the match is most associated with Dick, Kerr Ladies.[75][76]
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