Arsenal Women confirm new Emirates Stadium decision after season success
Growing fanbase: Arsenal Women had an average attendance of more than 34,000 in their nine WSL home games at the Emirates Stadium this season (The FA via Getty Images)
Arsenal will play all of their Women's Super League (WSL) home matches at the Emirates Stadium next season.
The Gunners hosted nine of their WSL games at the Emirates last term, drawing in an average attendance of 34,110.
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Off the back of that success, the club have now taken the decision to play all 11 of their home WSL fixtures there next season.
After investing in the facilities at their long-standing host venue, the Mangata Pay UK Stadium in Borehamwood, Arsenal will stage next season's Women's Champions League league phase games there.
All of Arsenal Women's domestic cup fixtures will also be played at Borehamwood. The Gunners will, however, play any Champions League knockout games at the Emirates.
Arsenal Women have just finished a memorable season in which they were crowned European champions for only the second time in their history.
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The club has seen a growth in the number of matchgoing fans for the women's game, with more than 415,000 tickets sold last season. That is an increase of 20 per cent on the previous campaign.
With all of Arsenal's WSL home matches now being at the Emirates, the club will be introducing a full season ticket for the women's team for the first time.
Richard Garlick, Arsenal's managing director, 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.
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'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.'
Arsenal Women's head coach, Renee Slegers, added: 'I'm so proud of the journey we've been on with our supporters this season.
'From Borehamwood 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 and 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.'
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