Arsenal to play all WSL home games at Emirates
Arsenal's highest WSL attendance at the Emirates last season was 56,748 against Tottenham in February
- Published
Arsenal will stage all 11 of their Women's Super League home matches at Emirates Stadium in the 2025-26 season.
The Gunners made the Emirates their main home last season, hosting nine WSL games there with an average attendance of 34,110.
Arsenal, who became European champions in Lisbon last month, will start the defence of their Women's Champions League title at Meadow Park - their longstanding home which will stage all of their league phase games in the competition's new format.
Should they progress to the knockout stage, matches from that point onwards would be played at the 60,704-capacity Emirates.
All of Arsenal's domestic cup home games will be played at Meadow Park in Borehamwood, but the WSL games will have the bigger stage throughout.
"For us, this is just the beginning, and bringing every WSL match to the Emirates is another step for more supporters to be part of this special journey," said Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers.
Arsenal said they sold more than 415,000 tickets in the 2024-25 season, recording a 20% increase on the previous campaign.
With their WSL home matches to be played at the Emirates, the club will introduce a season ticket for the stadium for the women's team for the first time.
Arsenal Women Supporters' Club said: "We are delighted to hear that all WSL home games will be played at Emirates Stadium next season.
"This allows more people than ever to experience a WSL matchday and help Arsenal to build on the success we achieved in Lisbon."
Aston Villa and Leicester City hosted all their home WSL games at their main club grounds last season - Villa Park and King Power Stadium respectively.
It was recently announced Goodison Park will become the home of Everton's women next season after the club scrapped plans to demolish the 132-year-old stadium.
With the men's side moving to their new 53,000-seater arena at Bramley-Moore Dock this summer, the 39,572-capacity Goodison Park will become the largest dedicated women's football stadium in England.
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It has long been Arsenal's ambition to host all their WSL matches at Emirates Stadium, with the women's team playing more games at the larger stadium in recent years.
They have smashed average attendance records in the WSL and held big-game occasions there, so this feels like a natural progression.
Discussions with the Premier League and WSL Football have taken place over recent months as Arsenal try to avoid fixture clashes.
Should those arise, neither the men's nor women's first team will be given automatic priority on who has the stadium.
Instead, there will be a consultation based on the needs of the specific fixture - the knock-on effect on other clubs, broadcasters and security, for example.
Meadow Park has been adapted in recent seasons to meet Uefa regulations for the Women's Champions League, meaning the club can host European matches there next season.
Early games in the Champions League have previously attracted lower crowds at Emirates Stadium, with factors including the late kick-offs during the week as well as there being few travelling supporters.
Under the stadium plan for 2025-26, there are likely to be fewer prospects of clashes at the Emirates. A situation last season resulted in the women's team's European tie with Bayern Munich having to move to Meadow Park to allow the men to play their EFL Cup home quarter-final against Crystal Palace.
The club hope the full WSL transition to the Emirates will cement Arsenal's image as one of the driving forces in football equality, as well as appealing to some of the world's best talent by providing a big stadium atmosphere.