The impact of England’s Euro 2022 success was underlined on Wednesday when Women’s Super League clubs reported significant increases in interest from fans.
Brighton said they had sold more season tickets since Saturday – the day before the final at Wembley – than in the whole of last season and there was a similar picture elsewhere. The season starts on 9 September.
Nine WSL clubs told the Guardian that sales of match and season tickets were up on last season or that they had experienced a surge in interest. The other three did not offer figures on a day when it was announced that the Lionesses’ October friendly against USA at Wembley had sold out in 24 hours.
Brighton, Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and West Ham reported sizeable increases in season-ticket sales. Promoted Liverpool said they had experienced a 254% increase and City, for whom who England’s Wembley match-winner Chloe Kelly plays, said their figure had effectively doubled and was at a record level.
Tottenham said they, too, had sold an unprecedented number of season tickets and West Ham reported their figure was up 20% on this time last year. Leicester’s figure is up 22% on last season’s total after sales opened on Wednesday last week, with a 228% increase in purchases on Sunday and Monday.
Arsenal said that on Sunday and Monday they had sold 7,000 tickets for the home game against Spurs at the Emirates Stadium in September, and that more than 10,000 seats had now been bought. Reading were encouraged by their figures too and hope to match their record attendance last season of 1,500 in their opening match.
Three Women’s Championship clubs also reported record-breaking season-ticket sales in the past few days: Durham, London City Lionesses and Sheffield United, whose home ground Bramall Lane hosted England’s semi-final. Lewes expect to exceed their total for last season.
The former England manager Hope Powell praised her club, Brighton, for staging their first two WSL games at the Amex Stadium, where the Lionesses defeated Norway 8-0 and secured a dramatic 2-1 quarter-final win against Spain.
“We played three games there last season, which was brilliant,” Powell said. “Playing our first two home games there, certainly after we hosted a couple of European Championship games, shows the commitment Brighton have to women’s football.”
Women’s sport more broadly is feeling a boost, with rugby union ticket sales soaring for England’s September women’s internationals against USA and Wales.
