FA Cup final set to cap record-breaking year for women’s football

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Chelsea fans celebrate after Women's FA Cup final
Chelsea will probably be hoping to say a 3rd successive Ladies’s FA Cup name in entrance of a sell-out Wembley
Week: Sunday, 14 Might Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Kick-off: 14.30 BST
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Over the generation 14 months, girls’s soccer has witnessed plenty adjustments throughout Europe.

A 23-year-old global list was once in spite of everything damaged, large stadiums had been promoting out and attendance ranges are proceeding to develop.

The Ladies’s FA Cup last between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday is about to cap an peculiar yr for the ladies’s recreation in England, with the Soccer Affiliation lately confirming the showpiece had offered out for the primary week.

BBC Recreation takes a have a look at the important thing moments for which supporters have flocked throughout the turnstiles to manufacture historical past.

Barcelona at Nou Camp (March & April 2022)

Barcelona fans at Nou Camp
Over 72,000 enthusiasts had been on the Nou Camp for Barcelona’s 1-1 draw in opposition to Chelsea within the Ladies’s Champions League semi-finals in April

Up till March latter yr, the legitimate attendance list for a girls’s soccer fit was once the 90,195 that became out on the Rose Bowl for the International Cup last between the USA and China in 1999.

Alternatively, that list was once damaged two times throughout the range of a day via Barcelona latter yr.

First, there was once the El Clasico Champions League quarter-final on the Nou Camp the place Barcelona thrashed competitors Actual Madrid 5-2 in entrance of 91,553 enthusiasts.

Upcoming got here Barcelona’s semi-final in opposition to Wolfsburg, with 91,648 supporters flocking to the long-lasting stadium to peer the Spanish aspect move to the overall with a powerful 5-1 win.

Barca gamers celebrated with their loud enthusiasts lengthy next the overall whistle to mark their history-making night time.

FA Cup last (15 Might 2022)

Screen shows attendance of 49,094 at Women's FA Cup final
Chelsea finished the home Double via successful latter yr’s Ladies’s FA Cup in entrance of 49,094 enthusiasts

This yr’s FA Cup last is about to eclipse latter yr’s showpiece, the place 49,094 enthusiasts watched Chelsea beat Manchester Town to raise the trophy at Wembley.

It was once a list top attendance for the contest, overtaking the 45,423 who noticed Chelsea defeat Arsenal within the 2018 last, and on the week it was once a list for a girls’s membership recreation in England.

Baroness Sue Campbell, the Soccer Affiliation’s director of ladies’s soccer, known as it a “special day” for the ladies’s recreation.

She stated: “It’s exactly the sort of occasion we hoped for when we committed to hosting the final at Wembley Stadium every season.”

Euro 2022 last (31 July 2022)

England's players celebrate during a victory party in Trafalgar Square
1000’s of enthusiasts became out to Trafalgar Sq. to welcome the Lionesses next their Euro 2022 victory

The Ecu Championship latter summer season drew massive crowds all the way through, and via the week England lifted the trophy, 574,875 community had handed via turnstiles up and i’m sick the rustic.

It shattered the the former event list of 240,055 supporters at Euro 2017 within the Netherlands.

As Sarina Wiegman and her aspect had been topped champions next beating Germany 2-1 in excess week, 87,192 enthusiasts – an all-time Uefa event list – belted out Candy Caroline at a joyous Wembley Stadium.

“The legacy of this tournament is a change in society. We have brought people together, brought people to games. We want people at WSL games,” Lionesses captain Leah Williamson stated.

Former England defender Alex Scott stated: “Back in 2018, we were begging people to host the Euros games in their stadiums. So many people said no. I hope they’re looking at themselves and thinking they weren’t brave enough.

“I’m no longer status up at company occasions begging for them to get entangled within the girls’s recreation. For those who’re no longer concerned, you’ve overlooked the boat. You’ve overlooked the teach, it’s in spite of everything left the station, it’s amassing pace.”

Arsenal v Tottenham (24 September 2022)

Arsenal celebrate after scoring against Tottenham
The north London derby has all set the WSL attendance list two times consecutively

The momentum from the Euros carried through, with a number of WSL clubs reporting record ticket sales before the season had even kicked off.

The previous WSL attendance record was 38,262, at the north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019, And it was the north London derby that set the new record in September, with the Gunners’ 4-0 thrashing of Spurs at Emirates Stadium witnessed via 47,367 enthusiasts.

With no separate stand for away fans, Gunners supporters dominated all areas of the 60,000-capacity stadium and made their presence known throughout, with deafening cries of “Arsenal, Arsenal” as they delighted in their side’s confidence.

Arsenal’s summer signing Lina Hurtig said the noise was “ridiculous” as she replaced Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead after 74 minutes.

Former England defender Anita Asante said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “There’s a crave for girls’s soccer on the month and it’s stunning that they may be able to show off video games like this in primary, large stadiums.”

Arsenal v Wolfsburg (1 Might 2023)

Attendances at the Emirates this season for Arsenal women's matches
Tickets for Arsenal’s semi-final second-leg fix in opposition to Wolfsburg within the 60,000-capacity Emirates offered out

Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal side have been at the forefront of helping to break attendance records, and they were the focus once more at Emirates Stadium for the Women’s Champions League semi-finals.

The Gunners had the support of the vast majority of 60,063 fans for their second leg against Wolfsburg – a record crowd for a women’s club game in England.

There was a collective intake of breath around the stadium when defender Lotte Wubben-Moy gifted Wolfsburg substitute Pauline Bremer with a clear shot on goal in the final seconds of extra time to put them through 5-4 on aggregate.

Despite the disappointment, the crowd stayed on to applaud the Arsenal players as they did a lap of honour around the pitch.

“We’re allowed to be harm and really feel unfilled, however we’re additionally allowed to really feel pleased with the efficiency and the era with our supporters,” Eidevall stated.

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