Arsenal's attendances underline women's football growth and fan engagement challenges

Rachel Major regularly finds herself fending off jibes from rival fans about Arsenal's growing attendances. A supporter for 20 years, she has enjoyed a prime seat at the club that is driving the growth of the women's game.

Last season, Arsenal averaged 34,000 at Emirates Stadium, almost four times the next highest average attendance, set by Chelsea, and more than eight Premier League clubs. Arsenal's home crowds accounted for 41% of all supporters at WSL fixtures, underlining the club's success but also raising questions about the wider supporter experience.

BBC Sport asked fans how the game can keep existing followers engaged, attract new supporters and inspire the next generation. A January 2026 YouGov study found 28.5 million WSL fans globally, split evenly by gender and with almost half aged 18-34.

That profile differs sharply from the men's game, which skews male and older. Donna Jones, a season ticket-holder at London City Lionesses, said: "At a men's game, you feel like you're just a cog," and added: "In the women's game, the players and staff want to build a relationship."

London City, backed by billionaire majority owner Michele Kang, are the only fully independent WSL club. In their top-flight debut, they averaged just under 3,000 at League One Bromley's Copperjax Community Stadium, and their efforts to attract new supporters earned the Best Fan Engagement prize at the 2026 Women's Football Awards.

Jones said the club had created an environment that was not only about the match, citing food options, a T-shirt cannon, foam fingers, player signings and a spin-the-wheel at half-time. She said they were trying to grow the fanbase.

The family-friendly nature of the women's game has been central to its growth in England, where back-to-back victories at the European Championships in 2022 and 2025 fuelled a surge of interest.

Mark Jenkins said pre-match activities at Wembley fan park before England's fixture against Spain in April encouraged him to take his six-year-old daughters to their first professional match. He said they enjoyed the experience and immediately asked to go again.

The women's game has also trialled a fan choice pilot over the past two seasons, allowing alcohol to be consumed in the stands. It has been adopted by 18 clubs across the WSL and WSL2 and has been well received, with 70% of supporters now in favour.

Major called it "absolutely brilliant" and said people were better behaved. Deborah Dilworth, head of women's football at the Football Supporters' Association, said the pilot was only one part of improving the matchday experience and that clubs also need to think about food, stadium approach routes and how safe and comfortable supporters feel.

As attendances rise, clubs have also tried to create separate seating areas for committed match-goers and casual followers. Dilworth said clubs need a vibrant section to create atmosphere while also accommodating new fans, neutrals and families.

Fans' biggest complaint is scheduling. In 2025-26, the WSL replaced the Sunday 18:45 kick-off with more noon matches, but that proved unpopular too. Major said away trips were "horrible" because fans either had to leave in the middle of the night or pay for a hotel.

The noon kick-off also clashes with grassroots football on Sunday mornings, making it harder for younger supporters to attend. Regular breaks during the season are another concern, with former England defender Anita Asante saying gaps between league games can disrupt momentum and rhythm.

Accessibility remains another issue. While Premier League-level grounds such as Emirates Stadium and Everton's Goodison Park are well equipped, smaller venues are less accommodating.

Jones, who uses a wheelchair, said she was frustrated by the lack of Blue Badge parking information when trying to attend London City's away match at Tottenham Hotspur. She said Tottenham's website only listed accessibility information for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, not Brisbane Road, where the women's team plays.

She said the onus was on her to chase details by email and that she was told Blue Badge parking had sold out. Only after speaking to Tottenham's disability co-ordinator did she learn the venue had no Blue Badge parking because it is in a residential area. She also said the wheelchair accessible allocation was on the opposite side of the ground from the away section, leaving her isolated.

Tottenham said venue information is available on its website via the 'Ask Spurs' chatbot, and after an internal investigation it is making improvements. Brisbane Road-specific guidance has since been added to the event-day accessible parking section on 'Ask Spurs', and a matchday-specific guide is being developed.

A club spokesperson said: "We're working on a full Brisbane Road matchday guide for the website for next season to give parity with our Tottenham Hotspur Stadium information."

For most WSL teams, a key growth strategy is to attract fans already invested in the men's side. Manchester City and Arsenal held parades at the end of 2025-26 to celebrate the success of their women's, men's and academy sides.

Major pointed to the use of "real fans" in promotional campaigns as an example of clubs trying to foster a collective identity. But Dilworth warned against simply copying and pasting from the men's game, noting that clubs have previously faced problems when alignment went too far.

She said innovation is important, but not at the expense of what people love about the women's game. She also said narratives built around a stadium can be powerful, but problems arise if the tone and culture still suggest primacy for the men's side.

Brighton have offered one solution by building Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium, but many WSL clubs do not have the space, money or resources to do the same. From next season, Chelsea will play all home WSL fixtures at Stamford Bridge, joining Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton in committing to venues with better transport links and facilities.

Tottenham, Manchester United and Brighton will host marquee fixtures at their main stadiums, though most matches will still be played at smaller grounds.

To engage fans in stadiums and at home, clubs need to refine communication and marketing. BBC Sport's 2025 Summer of Sport research found social media is the main way to reach younger audiences, with 35% of 18-24-year-olds using it as their primary source of women's football updates.

Social media is also highly important for 25-34-year-old fans, second only to watching live. Major said she checks social media before Google because everyone is already talking about the game there.

WSL fixtures are released on Thursday, 30 July, and with the expanded 14-team format there is potential to draw more interest than ever in the 2026-27 season. The Lionesses factor also remains significant.

The success and visibility of Sarina Wiegman's side has had a huge impact on domestic fan engagement, with Chloe Kelly's penalty heroics in last summer's Euro 2025 final described as a watershed moment for women's football marketing.

Next summer's World Cup in Brazil will further increase excitement, though England must get through two play-off rounds to qualify. For now, it is up to the clubs to address current issues and use the national team's pull to push growth to the next level.