More matches than ever are expected to be played in major stadiums in the upcoming Barclays WSL campaign as clubs continue to adapt to the growing popularity of the game.
Arsenal broke the WSL attendance record last season when they welcomed 60,160 to the Emirates Stadium for their clash against Manchester United in February. The 2023/24 campaign as a whole brought in 717,721 people across all matches, surpassing the previous season’s 689,297.
Since then, clubs have recognized the need to give fans greater access to games as women’s football continues to grow in popularity. Leicester City and Aston Villa will share their club’s main stadium with their respective men’s teams for every domestic league game, while Arsenal will play a further eight WSL games at the Emirates Stadium and potentially at least three in the Champions League.
While not all clubs have made the same commitment, they have certainly made the necessary arrangements to host more matches in their main stadiums, thereby playing a role in growing the game.
Chelsea have confirmed that they will play three games at home Stamford Bridgewith the rest of their matches hosted at Kingsmeadow in Kingston upon Thames, which has a capacity of 4,850.
The club’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona last season was played in front of a sell-out crowd at the Bridge, with 39,398 in attendance.
Stamford Bridge equipment
Like Chelsea, City will host three WSL matches at the club’s main venue… the Etihad Stadium.
The rest of their matches will be played at the Joie Stadium across the street from the Etihad campus, a 7,000-capacity facility used by the women’s first team and the men’s Elite Development Squad.
Etihad Stadium matches
Arsenal have set the standard when it comes to fostering an engaged fan base, attracting huge crowds whenever they play in the Emirates Stadium and break records along the way.
The Gunners made history last season after back-to-back sellouts, taking their average league attendance to 31,428. Arsenal are currently scheduled to play 11 games at the Emirates in 2024/25, eight of which are in the WSL. Three more depend on qualifying for the group stage of the Champions League.
Meadow Park, with a capacity of 4,500, will host just three WSL home games – Crystal Palace, West Ham and Leicester City – which are among the less glamorous fixtures on the schedule.
Emirates Stadium matches
Three of Liverpool’s games will be played Anfield this season, but just as excitingly, all their other home games will be played at a different and bigger venue than the 2023/24 season.
The club confirmed earlier this year that they had signed a ten-year lease to move from Prenton Park in Birkenhead, home of Tranmere Rovers, to St Helens’ 18,000-capacity Totally Wicked Stadium.
Anfield matches
Manchester United will play most of their home games at Leigh Sports Village but have three games lined up Old Traffordwhich has hosted WSL matches every season since 2020/21.
Marc Skinner’s side will open the season against twice-previous opponents West Ham, but will be hoping for a very different result to the club’s record-breaking 6-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea in the last game of the last season
The Spurs created history in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season, with a win that saw them secure their place in the FA Cup final.
The club will hope to recreate that magic again in the three games they have scheduled to take place at the venue in 2024/25. Otherwise, Spurs will play their home games at Brisbane Road, which has a much smaller capacity of 9,271.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium matches
Aston Villa announced it this summer Villa Park will now host all of their WSL home games.
Walsall’s Poundland Bescot Stadium will serve as the secondary venue and host the remaining matches.
Villa Park equipment
Since 2021, Leicester have used King Power Stadium as their main home and this will see them play all 11 WSL home games this season at the famous venue.
The Foxes retain the Pirelli Stadium in Burton upon Trent as a support for potential fixtures against the men’s schedule, playing one league game there last season as well as a couple of cup ties.
King Power Stadium matches
Everton, Brighton, West Ham and Crystal Palace have yet to reveal which, if any, of their home games will be played at their club’s main stadium.
As it stands, Everton will play their home games at Walton Hall Park, West Ham at the Chigwell Construction Stadium and newly promoted Crystal Palace at the VBS Community Stadium. Meanwhile, Brighton is Crawley’s Broadfield Stadium.
