Women's football attendance record and ranking women's soccer games with most fans

Women's soccer has enjoyed a sharp rise in popularity in recent years as fans have regularly shown up to support women's club teams in record numbers.

Both across Europe and North America, attendance records for women's club matches are being broken on a regular basis, with the biggest clubs around the world grow their fanbases at an ever-increasing rate.

In Europe, women's powerhouses Barcelona, Lyon, and Wolfsburg have led the charge as the sport continues to grow exponentially, while the United States remains a strong draw on the international stage.

The Sporting News details all the numbers as records continue to be broken at the club level on multiple continents, plus the international level as well.

MORE: All you need to know about Barcelona v Lyon in the 2024 Women's Champions League final

Largest women's football attendances

The 1999 World Cup in the USA triggered a wave of domestic and international interest in the tournament itself and the rise of women's football across the globe.

Despite the soaring Californian temperatures, 90,185 fans packed into Pasadena's Rose Bowl Stadium to witness the USWNT win the final on penalties against China, smashing the previous record in the process.

That remained in place for an incredible 23 years, although England came close with 87,192 fans at Wembley Stadium to witness Sarina Wiegman's side win the Euro 2022 final against Germany.

90,000 fans pack Wembley Stadium to watch England’s Women face Germany in final of Euro 2022. Whatever the score, Women’s football has been forever changed by this tournament. A generation of English kids will grow up only knowing the sport as Surging 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏆 pic.twitter.com/CwdkXOobtd

— roger bennett (@rogbennett) July 31, 2022

It was a club match that set a new record as 91,553 supporters filled out the Camp Nou on March 22, 2022, to see Barcelona hammer El Clasico rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in a Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Then just a month later Barcelona smashed the record again, as 91,648 fans saw them play a UEFA Women's Champions League fixture against Wolfsburg.

* Double-header with two matches played back-to-back in front of same crowd, including Brazil vs. Norway third-place match

Women's football attendance record

Barcelona's place at the top of the attendance record is a measure of the continued development of club football across Europe, with Barcelona breaking Lyon's Champions League stranglehold in the previous campaign.

Barcelona are the dominant force in Spanish football, led by Ballon d'Or Feminin winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. Camp Nou becoming the host venue for major domestic and European matches served as evidence of their growing fanbase.

In 2022 El Clasico record set a new benchmark, and then Barca bettered that landmark again less than a month later. Their fanatical support shows no signs of reducing, and 90,000+ crowds could become more regular in Catalonia once the club's extensive refurbishment of their home ground is complete.

NWSL attendance record

The Chicago Red Stars may not have gotten the result they wanted in defeat to expansion side Bay FC, and the weather failed to cooperate, but they enjoyed an historic evening as they set the NWSL attendance record in June, 2024. The match was held at Wrigley Field, the home of MLB side Chicago Cubs, and with the regular capacity reduced by only a few thousand to fit the soccer field, they packed 35,038 fans into the baseball stadium amidst the pouring rain.

It beat the old record from the previous year, when the OL Reign were held to a 0-0 draw against the Washington Spirit in front of 34,130.

* Indicates match was a sellout