Interest in WSL booming after England’s Euros success.

England’s success in the Euros in the summer is having a huge knock-on effect with interest in the Women’s Super League booming.

Chelsea, who have already sold all their season tickets, have now reported that their first home game of the season against Manchester City is a complete sell-out.

Embed from Getty Images

Meanwhile, many other clubs are reporting high demand for tickets, with Brighton, for example, reporting a 563% increase in sales compared to a year ago.

And more and more fixtures are being switched to the stadiums used by the men’s teams to accommodate the numbers who wish to see games.

On Saturday, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur set a new WSL attendance record as 47,367 watched the Gunners take a comfortable 4-0 win.

In fact, the trend of watching women’s football across Europe is growing strongly, with Barcelona’s Champions League campaign regularly attracting crowds in excess of 80,000.

A recent UEFA report has suggested that the commercial value of the women’s game in Europe could be set, over the next decade, to experience an annual six-fold increase.

That would mean an annual value of close to £600 million by 2033.

An attraction for many is the relative absence of abuse and violence in women’s football, and there is not the same element of tribalism often associated with the men’s game. That is not to say that rivalries do not exist, but they are nothing like as intense. And the players are also more accessible to the fans, and will often stay behind after matches to sign autographs and chat.

Undoubtedly, new TV deals have helped with the popularisation of the sport, but they are also enabling more women to turn professional and dedicate their lives to the sport. And that can be clearly seen on the pitch, with a rise in standards even from a few years ago.

One of the leading indicators that success at the Euros will leave a permanent legacy is if there is a rise in investment from sponsors and other commercial partners. Whilst some brands have chosen to bide their time and see if the interest is permanent before committing, others like Pepsi Max, Walker and Doritos have already got involved.

And, whilst the Women’s Super League is the tip of the iceberg, it is what happens further down the pyramid that really is significant.

Already there are signs that many more girls and women are taking up the sport, and, whilst they enjoy the exercise and mental well-being they confer, it also teaches them teamwork and discipline.

However, if the sport is to continue to thrive, there needs to be sustainable pathways for youngsters to able to reach major clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Lessons may need to be learned from the United States, where two previous attempts at women’s professional leagues have both failed, despite early promise, because of a lack of investment.

However, the latest incarnation, the NWSL, appears more robust than the earlier versions, and the Women’s Super League similarly will be hoping that the crowds and the interest is here to stay.