Arsenal FC is making the Emirates Stadium the main home of its women’s team for the 2024/25 Women’s Super League (WSL) campaign.
The 60,000-seat stadium will host a total of 11 Arsenal Women matches next season. This will include eight WSL games and three UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) matches, the latter dependent on the team qualifying for the group stages.
Further games could be held at the ground depending on Arsenal Women’s performance in the top-tier of European football. Should the team progress behind the groups, the Emirates will host all home legs of the knockout stages of the tournament.
Arsenal CEO, Vinai Venkatesham, said: “For almost four decades, we’ve been at the forefront of the women’s game. We’ve recently seen extraordinary growth in supporters coming to Emirates Stadium for games held here, which include two complete sell-outs this season.
“The next step in our journey is to make Emirates Stadium our main home for Arsenal Women. We’re looking forward to giving more supporters the chance to watch our women’s team play.
“This is part of a collective drive across the club to take the women’s game forward and support sustainable growth of the game so it can thrive in the long term.”
Arsenal Women’s long-standing home is the Mangata Pay UK Stadium in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, shared with National League club Boreham Wood FC, as well as Arsenal’s men’s under-21 team.
Despite matches being moved to the Emirates, the Mangata Pay UK Stadium will continue to play a major role in Arsenal Women’s on-pitch activity next year. All remaining games not held at the Emirates will be hosted at the Borehamwood ground.
This will include all Adobe Women’s FA Cup and FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup fixtures, as well as the remaining WSL games not held at North London’s Emirates.
Nonetheless, the move is indicative of the significant growth women’s football has experienced over recent years. Arsenal has experienced this growth in particular – the decision to hold 11 Emirates games next year follows six matches at the stadium this year which saw an average crowd of 52.029, with one game setting a league record of 60,160.
The club’s Sporting Director, Edu Gaspar, added: “There’s great passion for our women’s team right across our club. We are one club, with a vision to win major trophies across our men’s and women’s teams. This move supports this ambition and we can’t wait to continue this amazing journey with our supporters.”
Engagement with women’s football in general has risen significantly across the UK. In England, the national team’s performance in the 2022 UEFA Euros and 2023 Women’s World Cup drove spike’s a viewing figures.
The WSL has secured continued media exposure via a renewal of its arrangement with BBC Sport and Sky Sports. Meanwhile, the league – along with the second tier Women’s Championship – recorded attendances of over one million across the 2023/24 season.
Arsenal Women Head Coach, Jonas Eidevall, commented on the Emirates move: “We have a special connection with our supporters, who have shown up in huge numbers and pushed us forward every step of the way.
“To everyone who has followed us so far, thank you. You have played a key part in our progress and growth, helping us write this story. Next season, Emirates Stadium becomes our main home and we’re all excited to play in front of bigger crowds every week. We can’t wait to see you all there.”
