Euro 2022: Wembley final set to break records
- Published
Hosts England won the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup in February
The attendance at the Women's European Championship final at Wembley on 31 July could surpass the record for any Euros match for men or women.
Tickets for the tournament decider sold out within an hour of going on sale.
Wembley has a capacity of 90,000, while the highest attendance for any Euros match - men or women - is 79,115 for the 1964 final at Madrid's Bernabeu.
Last year's men's final between England and Italy was attended by 67,173 with Covid restrictions limiting capacity.
The current record attendance for a Women's European Championship final is 41,302, which was set at Euro 2013 when Germany defeated hosts Sweden. For the rebuilt Wembley, the attendance record for any football match is 89,874 for the 2008 FA Cup final between Cardiff and Portsmouth.
Prior to tickets going on general sale on Monday, more than half of the 700,000 tickets available across the tournament had already been sold in pre-sales.
With 100 days to go until Euro 2022 kicks off with England's opening game against Austria at Old Trafford, the tournament is already comfortably on course to surpass the 240,045 who watched the 2017 tournament in the Netherlands - the previous best figure for total attendance across a Women's Euros.
The Football Association's head of women's football Baroness Sue Campbell said: "The pleasing thing is it is not just England matches that have caught the imagination but also that there is interest in other competing teams.
"We are all hoping it is going to be a summer to remember where we can celebrate the very best of women's football."
"I can't wait to see fans of all ages cheering the players on and hopefully all generations feeling inspired to get involved as a player, coach, referee or volunteer."
"I think it's absolutely massive knowing there will be that much support - although not all of it will be for us," England and Chelsea defender Jess Carter told BBC Sport.
"It shows the growth of the women's game that we are able to sell-out stadiums like that well in advance and it shows the way the game is going. Hopefully the tournament is massive, a great stage for women's football and it continues to go that way."
The Lionesses' matches against Norway at Brighton's Amex stadium and Northern Ireland at St Mary's have also sold out.
Sixteen nations will take part in the tournament across 10 different venues in England, with the opening match on 6 July.