Women's FA Cup final to be staged at Ashton Gate

Bristol City's Ashton Gate stadium has been chosen to host the FA Women's Cup final on 26 May.

The game will form part of Bristol Sports Week - a week of sporting events including the London 2012 Olympic torch relay and the annual Bristol 10k race.

Arsenal beat Bristol Academy 2-0 in last year's final at Coventry's Ricoh Arena and attracted over 13,000 fans.

"It's a very exciting opportunity for us," City chief executive Guy Price told BBC Points West.

"We'll have all four stands open which will create a great atmosphere. It will hopefully bring lots of people who don't usuallly come to Ashton Gate.

"Previously at Derby and Nottingham they've filled the stadiums and that's our aim. We're very excited and looking forward to it."

Bristol Academy goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain added: "It's a massive step forward for the womens game in Bristol.

"We've had great support from Bristol City as a club. Hopefully if they can get 20,000 here it will be an amazing game.

Ashton Gate staged Bristol Academy's Champions League quarter-final clash with Energiya Voronezh in September and also played host to England men's Under 21s in a friendly against Uzbekistan in 2010.