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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.
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.
Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 November 2024 | ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() | ![]() | 78,346 | [70] [71] |
9 November 2019 | ![]() | 1–2 | ![]() | 77,768 | [3] [72] | |
7 October 2022 | ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | 76,893 | [73] | |
3 June 2024 | ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() | ![]() | 76,798 | [74] |
31 May 2024 | ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | ![]() | 52,912 | [75] |
14 July 2022 | ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() | ![]() | 50,629 | [76] |
23 November 2014 | ![]() | 0–3 | ![]() | ![]() | 45,619 | [77] |
Since the first record attendance for a women's football match was set in the early 20th century, it has been superseded several times.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] [78] [1]
Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Match | Venue | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 December 1917 | ![]() | 4–0 | ![]() | Charity friendly | ![]() | 10,000 [79] |
26 December 1917 | ![]() | 1–4 | ![]() | Friendly | ![]() | 20,000 [80] |
29 April 1920 | ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() | Charity friendly | ![]() | 25,000 [82] |
27 December 1920 | ![]() | 4–0 | ![]() | Charity friendly | ![]() | 53,000 |
25 December 1970 | ![]() | 0–0 (4–3 p) | ![]() | Exhibition cup/charity friendly | ![]() | 60,000 [85] [a] [c] |
15 August 1971 | ![]() | 3–1 | ![]() | Mundial group stage | ![]() | 90,000 [d] |
22 August 1971 | ![]() | 4–0 | ![]() | Mundial group stage | ||
5 September 1971 | ![]() | 0–3 | ![]() | Mundial final | 110,000 [d] | |
16 November 1991 | ![]() | 4–0 | ![]() | World Cup group stage | ![]() | 65,000 [68] |
1 August 1996 | ![]() | 1–2 | ![]() | Olympic final | ![]() | 76,489 |
19 June 1999 | ![]() | 3–0 | ![]() | World Cup group stage | ![]() | 78,972 |
10 July 1999 | ![]() | 0–0 (5–4 p) | ![]() | World Cup final | ![]() | 90,185 |
30 March 2022 | ![]() | 5–2 | ![]() | Champions League quarter-final | ![]() | 91,553 |
22 April 2022 | ![]() | 5–1 | ![]() | Champions League semi-final | 91,648 |
...in front of 32,066 fans, an NWSL home opener record.