UEFA Women’s Euro Sees Record-Breaking Attendance

The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland has already set a landmark in attendance, outpacing the previous edition held in England just three years prior. As of the last quarter-final match between France and Germany in Basel, the total attendance across the tournament stands at 574,117. This figure is just shy of the all-time record by 758 spectators, with anticipation that the semi-final between Italy and England will lead to a cumulative attendance exceeding 600,000 for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 1984. Furthermore, average match attendance for this year’s tournament has surpassed 20,000, a first in its history.

In 2022, the UEFA Women’s Euro in England achieved remarkable attendance figures with 68,871 fans at the opening match and an impressive 87,192 at the final, resulting in a total attendance of 574,875, more than doubling that of any prior edition. These statistics were once believed to be unbeatable, particularly considering the Swiss stadiums lack the capacity to host such large crowds, none exceeding 40,000 spectators. Switzerland’s historical context in women’s football had also raised doubts, as their national team had never advanced beyond the group stages in past tournaments.

However, the UEFA organization confidently anticipated breaking past England’s attendance records, and they have evidently succeeded. Every venue selected for the games has sold out consistently, and the attendance numbers have surpassed those in England even before the final match on Sunday, which is likely to attract the largest crowd of the tournament.

Notably, this edition of the Women’s Euro has recorded six of the ten largest attendances in the tournament’s 41-year history. Traditionally, these record crowds have centered around the finals or matches involving the host nation. Yet in Switzerland, three significant attendance figures have been achieved during matches featuring only visiting teams, notably the clash between Germany and Denmark, and subsequent matches like Netherlands vs. France.

Switzerland marked their entry into the tournament with a match at St. Jakob Park, gathering an audience of 34,063 – the highest attendance ever for a women’s match featuring the Swiss national team. Their journey to the quarter-finals for the first time maintained local enthusiasm and positively impacted attendance figures throughout the event.

In addition to the matches, UEFA estimates that approximately 60,000 fans partook in organized fan walks leading to the stadiums during the group stage, enhancing community engagement. Notably, fan gatherings included around 8,000 supporters from Wales and the Netherlands on their way to a match in Lucerne, while 14,000 Swiss and Icelandic fans walked from the fan zones in Bern to the Stadion Wankdorf ahead of their match.

Nadine Kessler, UEFA’s women’s football director, remarked, “If it was not clear before, it is undeniable now – women’s football is unstoppable and here to stay. Before a ball was even kicked, over 600,000 tickets were sold – a record-breaking milestone that speaks volumes about the growing passion for the women’s game.” She further noted that nearly every match has reached full capacity, creating vibrant atmospheres and capturing the attention of millions worldwide through social media and broadcasts. “This is more than a tournament; it’s a movement, and the response from across Europe and beyond proves that women’s football is not only here to stay – it is setting the new standard.”