Latest news with #Basel
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Record-Breaking UEFA Women's Euro Attendances Surpass Previous Edition
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JULY 09: The LED board displays a new record attendance of 287,438 during the ... More UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Group D match between England and Netherlands at Stadion Letzigrund on July 09, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by) The cumulative attendances for matches at UEFA Women's Euro 2025 in Switzerland will surpass the previous edition in England three years ago with two games left to play. The crowd at last night's final quarter-final between France and Germany in Basel took the combined attendances from the 28 matches so far to 574,117, just 758 of the all-time record. During Tuesday's first semi-final between Italy and England, the aggregate figure will surpass 600,000 for tbe first time since the competition began in 1984. The average attendances at the tournament are also in excess of 20,000 for the first time ever. The UEFA Women's Euro in England in 2022 was book-ended by two headline-grabbing attendances at the country's two largest grounds. 68,871 were at the Opening Match between England and Austria at Old Trafford and 87,192 witnessed the dramatic competition final between England and Germany at Wembley Stadium. These remain the two largest crowds in the competition's history and inflated the tournament's overall attendances to an aggregate of 574,875, more than double the cumulative audience at any previous edition of the UEFA Women's Euro. These figures seemed almost unbeatable, especially considering that the next tournament would be staged in Switzerland, a country without the same passionate tradition for the game and a women's team which had never progressed beyond the group stage of the competition. More importantly, none of the nation's stadiums have a capacity in excess of 40,000. Nonetheless, the European governing body believed they could surpass the figures in England and have been proved right. The tournament has consistently sold out the country's choice of stadiums and the consistence attendances throughout the tournament have led it to overtake the figures in England even before the showpiece final next Sunday, which is almost certainly set to attract the largest crowd of the 2025 tournament. Six of the ten attendances in the 41-year history of the tournament have been recorded at this UEFA Women's Euro. Notably, all of the previous record crowds have centred around either the final of the competition or matches involving the host nation. This has not been the case in Switzerland, where three of those six attendances have been at games involving two visiting teams - Germany v Denmark, Netherlands v France and Germany v France. Indeed the match between the Germans and the Danes in Basel was witnessed by the highest-ever crowd at a finals match which did not involve the host nation. BASEL, SWITZERLAND - JULY 08: The LED board shows a record attendance of 34,165 during the UEFA ... More Women's EURO 2025 Group C match between Germany and Denmark at St. Jakob-Park on July 08, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by) The first game for the host nation Switzerland at the same St. Jakob Park venue in Basel pulled in a crowd of 34,063. This was the highest-ever attendance for a women's match involving the Swiss national team. Their success in reaching the last eight for the first time maintained local interest in the tournament for longer, helping boost other attendances. UEFA also estimate that during the group phase of the competition 60,000 fans took part in fan walks to the stadiums before games. This included 8,000 from Wales and the Netherlands ahead of their meeting in Lucerne. The following day, 14,000 Swiss and Icelandic supporters walked the 3km from the fan zone in central Bern to the Stadion Wankdorf where the two teams played that evening. BERN, SWITZERLAND - JULY 6: Fans of Switzerland participate in the Fan Walk before the UEFA Womens ... More EURO 2025 Group A match between Switzerland and Iceland at Stadion Wankdorf on July 6, 2025 in Bern, Switzerland. (Photo by Noemi Llamas/Sports) 'If it was not clear before, it is undeniable now – women's football is unstoppable and here to stay," said UEFA's women's football director Nadine Kessler. "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.' 'Nearly every match has been a sell-out, with electric atmospheres and fans turning out in unprecedented numbers. Millions more are following the action around the world through social media and live 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.'
Arab News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Ten-woman Germany in Euros semifinals after stunning shootout win over France
BASEL: Gritty Germany reached the Women's Euro 2025 semifinals on Saturday after prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shootout against France after playing with 10 women for almost all of a gruelling match which finished 1-1 after extra time. Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero by saving Amel Majri and Alice Sombath's penalties to secure a last-four clash with Spain to Germany, who will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday. Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel. 'I would have loved to have had the game in 90 minutes and done and dusted,' Berger told reporters. 'I did my part of the game. In 120 minutes they (the team) worked incredibly hard and I think all the credit should go to the team, not me. 'Maybe it was the decisive moment in the penalty shootout but everyone here should talk about it with him (coach Christian Wueck) now about the performance of the team because that was amazing and incredible.' St. Jakob-Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring. Sjoeke Nuesken — who also missed a penalty in the second half — levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Berger sent the majority of the crowd wild with her shootout stops. France have now fallen at the quarterfinals stage in eight of their last 10 Euros after losing a match in which they had two goals ruled out for offside. 'I don't think it was down to character, you have to remember that Germany are third in the FIFA rankings. They sat back and it was hard to break them down — they put in a huge effort against us,' said France coach Laurent Bonadei. 'We couldn't make the difference, we had two goals ruled out for offside... it's a lack of being clinical in front of goal.' Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench. And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich was rightly dismissed for inexplicably pulling Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick, and giving Geyoro a chance to score she didn't pass up. But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from Germany fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner. From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside before she flicked home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross. That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break. Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position. And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand. But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out to an own goal. Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, but she stepped up in the shootout to allow Germany to win against all odds.
France 24
8 hours ago
- Sport
- France 24
Ten-woman Germany in Euros semis after stunning shootout win over France
Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero by saving Amel Majri and Alice Sombath's penalties to secure a last-four clash with Spain to Germany, who will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday. Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel. "I would have loved to have had the game in 90 minutes and done and dusted," Berger told reporters. "I did my part of the game. In 120 minutes they (the team) worked incredibly hard and I think all the credit should go to the team, not me. "Maybe it was the decisive moment in the penalty shootout but everyone here should talk about it with him (coach Christian Wueck) now about the performance of the team because that was amazing and incredible." St Jakob-Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring. Sjoeke Nuesken -- who also missed a penalty in the second half -- levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Berger sent the majority of the crowd wild with her shootout stops. France have now fallen at the quarter-finals stage in eight of their last 10 Euros after losing a match in which they had two goals ruled out for offside. "I don't think it was down to character, you have to remember that Germany are third in the FIFA rankings. They sat back and it was hard to break them down -- they put in a huge effort against us," said France coach Laurent Bonadei. "We couldn't make the difference, we had two goals ruled out for offside... it's a lack of being clinical in front of goal." Battling Germany Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench. And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich was rightly dismissed for inexplicably pulling Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick, and giving Geyoro a chance to score she didn't pass up. But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from Germany fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner. From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside before she flicked home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross. That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break. Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position. And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand. But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out to an own goal. Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, but she stepped up in the shootout to allow Germany to win against all odds.
Washington Post
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger stars for Germany at the Women's European Championship
BASEL, Switzerland — She had the save of the tournament so far, two stops in the penalty shootout and a successful spot kick of her own. Ann-Katrin Berger pulled out all the heroics for Germany on Saturday. Germany recovered from going a player and a goal down early on to hold France to a 1-1 draw in their Women's European Championship quarterfinal and triumph on penalties . A stunning team performance saw Germany stifle the France onslaught and when Les Bleus did get through they came up against the impassable Berger. The Gotham FC goalkeeper was — unsurprisingly — named player of the match but Berger was quick to deflect the praise for her display onto her teammates. 'I was not happy that we had to go to a penalty shootout … but I think, I did my part of the game now,' Berger said. 'Because the team, in 120 minutes, they worked incredibly hard and I think that all the credit should go to the team, not me. 'Maybe it was the decisive moment in the penalty shootout, but everyone here should talk about the performance of the team because that was amazing and incredible.' 'Amazing' and 'incredible' could also be used to describe Berger's performance. The 34-year-old saved nine of the 10 shots she faced, with her best of the night — and possibly of the whole tournament — coming in extra time when a backward header from Germany captain Janina Minge had Berger scrambling back to scoop it off the line with an astonishing one-handed stop to spare her teammate's blushes. Then came her heroics in the shootout. Berger saved the first penalty she faced, from Amel Majri, and clinched a 6-5 victory in the shootout when she dove to her left to deny Alice Sombath and spark Germany's celebrations. That secured a spot in Wednesday's semifinal against Spain in Zurich. Berger was part of the Germany squad that lost to England in the final of Euro 2022, although she was an unused substitute. She revealed afterward that she had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer for a second time during that tournament. Berger managed to beat the disease again and the only outward sign is a tattoo on her neck with the phrase 'All we have is now' that she got done to cover the scars. 'I feel like I'm not a really emotional person,' Berger said. 'I am glad I'm here and I am glad that I have the team I have. 'Obviously the time here just makes me proud to be here and whatever happened in 2022 is in the past and I am looking forward now to the future and, for me now, I live my best life and I am in the semifinal.' ___ AP soccer:
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Ten-woman Germany in Euros semis after stunning shootout win over France
BASEL, Switzerland: Gritty Germany reached the Women's Euro 2025 semifinals on Saturday after prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shootout against France after playing with 10 women for almost all of a gruelling match which finished 1-1 after extra time. Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero by saving Amel Majri and Alice Sombath's penalties to secure a last-four clash with Spain to Germany, who will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday. Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel. 'I would have loved to have had the game in 90 minutes and done and dusted,' Berger told reporters. 'I did my part of the game. In 120 minutes they (the team) worked incredibly hard and I think all the credit should go to the team, not me. 'Maybe it was the decisive moment in the penalty shootout but everyone here should talk about it with him (coach Christian Wueck) now about the performance of the team because that was amazing and incredible.' St. Jakob-Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring. Sjoeke Nuesken — who also missed a penalty in the second half — levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Berger sent the majority of the crowd wild with her shootout stops. France have now fallen at the quarter-finals stage in eight of their last 10 Euros after losing a match in which they had two goals ruled out for offside. 'I don't think it was down to character, you have to remember that Germany are third in the FIFA rankings. They sat back and it was hard to break them down — they put in a huge effort against us,' said France coach Laurent Bonadei. 'We couldn't make the difference, we had two goals ruled out for offside... it's a lack of being clinical in front of goal.' Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench. And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich was rightly dismissed for inexplicably pulling Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick, and giving Geyoro a chance to score she didn't pass up. But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from Germany fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner. From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside before she flicked home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross. That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break. Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position. And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand. But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out to an own goal. Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, but she stepped up in the shootout to allow Germany to win against all odds.
