Arsenal to play Women's Super League home games at the Emirates next season

The Sun

2 days ago

ARSENAL are to host all of their women's top-flight home games at the Emirates next season.
Today the club revealed 11 WSL fixtures will be played at the 60,704-capacity ground during their 2025-26 campaign.
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They say this follows a 20 per cent rise in crowd numbers last term compared to the previous season with more than 415,000 tickets sold.
However Arsenal also stated these plans will be 'subject to scheduling with fixtures for both the Premier League and WSL 2025/26 seasons to be confirmed later this summer.
Last term their average crowd attendance at the stadium was 34,110.
And for the first time the club is set to introduce Emirates Stadium season tickets for women's team home fixtures at the ground.
Following their Champions League triumph last month the Emirates will serve as the venue for any knockout games their WSL side competes in should they reach this phase next term.
However Women's FA Cup and League Cup fixtures will continue to be hosted at Meadow Park home they share with National League men's side Boreham Wood FC.
And their Women's Champions League phase games will also take place at the ground which has a 4,500 capacity.
Arsenal managing director Richard Garlick said: "Today's announcement is another bold step forward.
"It's an opportunity to create a special home for our team and allow more opportunities for our community, and a new generation of supporters to watch the European champions.
"It's the start of another chapter in the story of our women's team just two weeks on from us lifting the Champions League trophy with our community here in Islington."
"We keep moving forward together, and we'll continue to fuel and inspire each other."
Gunners women's boss Renee Slegers added: "I'm so proud of the journey we've been on with our supporters this season.
"From Boreham Wood to the Emirates, on the road to every WSL and European destination we visited, and of course all the way to Lisbon, they've shown up.
"We've fuelled each other to an historic season for our club."
"For us, this is just the beginning, and bringing every WSL match to the Emirates is another step for more supporters to be part of this special journey.
"We'll come back next season, with fire in our hearts, more determined, more ambitious, and more together than ever."
Today's announcement comes four months after the women's team drew a crowd of 56,748 to their 5-0 North London WSL derby defeat of Tottenham at the Emirates.
However this figure is more than 3,300 less than the number that flocked to watch them beat Manchester United and Spurs in February and March last year.
Back then crowds of 60,160 and 60,050 watched the Gunners' 3-1 and 1-0 defeats of their WSL rivals.
Arsenal's announcement follows the team finishing as runners up in last term's title race behind Chelsea who were crowned champions for the fifth time in a row in May.
Last month Slegers' players lifted a Champions League trophy following their dramatic 1-0 defeat of Barcelona in Portugal.
Their triumph in this year's decider in Lisbon saw Arsenal win the contest for the second time in the club's history.
The Gunners remaining the only English side to date win the women's tournament.
Arsenal women's football director Claire Wheatley said: 'We felt that winning connection all season.
"To share in a Champions League win with our supporters in north London after returning from Lisbon inspired us all to push on.
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Of the team's WSL home games being played at the Emirates next term Wheatley added: "Our players and staff know what it means to walk out in front of a packed Emirates Stadium.
"It brings a sense of pride and belonging to all of us.
"It fuels a relentless drive to win and is a crucial part of how we create the best conditions for our women's team to succeed."