FA Cup final caps record-breaking year for women's football
- Published
Sam Kerr gave Chelsea a third straight FA Cup victory in front of a packed Wembley
A new world record has been set for a women's domestic match after 77,390 fans watched Chelsea beat Manchester United in Sunday's FA Cup final at Wembley.
Sam Kerr's second half strike sealed a 1-0 win for Chelsea and bagged the Blues a third successive Women's FA Cup title.
Women's football has witnessed major changes across Europe over the past 14 months, with a 23-year-old world record finally broken, big stadiums selling out and attendance levels continuing to grow.
Sunday's FA Cup final capped an extraordinary year for the women's game in England, with the showpiece selling out for the first time.
The attendance of 77,390 - a massive increase on last season's 49,094 - was not only a record crowd for a Women's FA Cup final, but a world record for a women's domestic match, beating a league game between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
"To break the world record is a massive statement and a wonderful marker as to where the women's game has come in this country," said Baroness Sue Campbell, FA director of women's football.
"I've said before that we've come a long way, but we've still got an incredibly long way to go and we know that.
"But it's another marker in the sand that the game in this country is now alive and well, flourishing and growing.
"It speaks volumes on where our competitions' leagues have got to. We have to remind ourselves that we only became a full-time professional league in 2018."
BBC Sport takes a look at the key moments for which supporters have flocked through the turnstiles to create history.
Barcelona at Nou Camp (March & April 2022)
Over 72,000 fans were at the Nou Camp for Barcelona's 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the Women's Champions League semi-finals in April
Up until March last year, the official attendance record for a women's football match was the 90,195 that turned out at the Rose Bowl for the World Cup final between the United States and China in 1999.
However, that record was broken twice within the space of a month by Barcelona last year.
First, there was the El Clasico Champions League quarter-final at the Nou Camp where Barcelona thrashed rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in front of 91,553 fans.
Then came Barcelona's semi-final against Wolfsburg, with 91,648 supporters flocking to the iconic stadium to see the Spanish side progress to the final with a resounding 5-1 win.
Barca players celebrated with their raucous fans long after the final whistle to mark their history-making night.
FA Cup final (15 May 2022)
Chelsea completed the domestic Double by winning last year's Women's FA Cup in front of 49,094 fans
This year's FA Cup final has eclipsed last year's showpiece, where 49,094 fans watched Chelsea beat Manchester City to lift the trophy at Wembley.
It was a record high attendance for the competition, overtaking the 45,423 who saw Chelsea defeat Arsenal in the 2018 final, and at the time it was a record for a women's club game in England.
Baroness Sue Campbell, the Football Association's director of women's football, called it a "special day" for the women's game.
She said: "It's exactly the sort of occasion we hoped for when we committed to hosting the final at Wembley Stadium every season."
Euro 2022 final (31 July 2022)
Thousands of fans turned out to Trafalgar Square to welcome the Lionesses after their Euro 2022 victory
The European Championship last summer drew large crowds throughout, and by the time England lifted the trophy, 574,875 people had passed through turnstiles up and down the country.
It shattered the the previous tournament record of 240,055 supporters at Euro 2017 in the Netherlands.
As Sarina Wiegman and her side were crowned champions after beating Germany 2-1 in extra time, 87,192 fans - an all-time Uefa tournament record - belted out Sweet Caroline at a joyous Wembley Stadium.
"The legacy of this tournament is a change in society. We have brought people together, brought people to games. We want people at WSL games," Lionesses captain Leah Williamson said.
Former England defender Alex Scott said: "Back in 2018, we were begging people to host the Euros games in their stadiums. So many people said no. I hope they're looking at themselves and thinking they weren't brave enough.
"I'm not standing up at corporate events begging for them to get involved in the women's game. If you're not involved, you've missed the boat. You've missed the train, it's finally left the station, it's gathering speed."
Arsenal v Tottenham (24 September 2022)
The north London derby has set the WSL attendance record twice consecutively
The momentum from the Euros carried through, with a number of WSL clubs reporting record ticket sales before the season had even kicked off.
The previous WSL attendance record was 38,262, at the north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019, And it was the north London derby that set the new record in September, with the Gunners' 4-0 thrashing of Spurs at Emirates Stadium witnessed by 47,367 fans.
With no separate stand for away fans, Gunners supporters dominated all areas of the 60,000-capacity stadium and made their presence known throughout, with deafening cries of "Arsenal, Arsenal" as they delighted in their side's confidence.
Arsenal's summer signing Lina Hurtig said the noise was "ridiculous" as she replaced Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead after 74 minutes.
Former England defender Anita Asante said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "There is a thirst for women's football at the moment and it is great that they can showcase games like this in major, big stadiums."
Arsenal v Wolfsburg (1 May 2023)
Tickets for Arsenal's semi-final second-leg tie against Wolfsburg in the 60,000-capacity Emirates sold out
Jonas Eidevall's Arsenal side have been at the forefront of helping to break attendance records, and they were the focus once more at Emirates Stadium for the Women's Champions League semi-finals.
The Gunners had the support of the vast majority of 60,063 fans for their second leg against Wolfsburg - a record crowd for a women's club game in England.
There was a collective intake of breath around the stadium when defender Lotte Wubben-Moy gifted Wolfsburg substitute Pauline Bremer with a clear shot on goal in the final seconds of extra time to put them through 5-4 on aggregate.
Despite the disappointment, the crowd stayed on to applaud the Arsenal players as they did a lap of honour around the pitch.
"We are allowed to be hurt and feel empty, but we're also allowed to feel proud of the performance and the occasion with our supporters," Eidevall said.
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