The 2024-25 season of the WSL concluded earlier this month, with Chelsea being crowned champions once again and in doing so, achieved their 8th WSL title. Crystal Palace, who were promoted to the WSL as 2023-24 Women’s Championship winners, were relegated after winning only two of their 22 matches.
This is a running theme across women’s soccer in England, with the same teams being dominant – namely Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Manchester City – and the teams in the middle who ultimately are not playing for much in terms of motivation.
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Even clubs with huge resources from the men’s Premier League sides, like Liverpool and Everton, have not shown much sign of closing the gap to the ‘big four’.
A big issue for the league, both in terms of popularity and competitiveness, is that there are currently no England international players who have played for Liverpool, Everton, West Ham, or Aston Villa in the past year. Not only does this cause a gap between the top four clubs, which all have international stars amongst their squads, but it also doesn’t attract the crowds that the top four clubs do.
A prime example of this is Mary Earps. At the end of the 2023-24 season, the England goalkeeper moved to Paris-Saint Germain from Manchester United after five years at the club. Earps has been one of the stand-out performers among the Lionesses for the past few years, and was also awarded the BBC Sport Personality of the Year Award in 2023.
Undoubtedly, fans would’ve attended Manchester United WSL matches just to go and watch Earps play. However, since she has left the club, Manchester United’s average attendance has dropped to 7,390 from 10,957 in 2023. This stat exemplifies the pull that the Lionesses players possess in terms of attendance.
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By GlobalDataArsenal Women are perhaps the leaders in terms of women’s soccer fan engagement. During the 2023-24 season, they sold out the Emirates Stadium twice and averaged 52,029 spectators across the six games at the 60,704-capacity stadium.
For the 2024-25 season, their average has dropped to 34,100, which at first glance seems alarming. However, this season Arsenal played three more games at the Emirates Stadium, making it nine in total, therefore, their average attendance is similar to last year’s.
The team only had two home matches at Meadow Park, which has a capacity of only 4,500. It is obviously a positive that the women’s teams are having more opportunities to play at the men’s stadiums, however, this then means that an Arsenal Women’s game at the Emirates Stadium is no longer unique and less appealing for fans.
The advancement of women’s soccer is evident in the ability for matches to fill prominent men’s stadiums, such as Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge. However, there is a delicate balance to be struck between attracting a larger fan base to attend matches and preserving the unique appeal of events like Manchester United Women playing at Old Trafford.
It is not a favourable image for women’s soccer to host matches in large stadiums that fail to sell out. It is essential to navigate this issue with care to maintain the momentum and positive perception of the women’s game.
The success of the national team significantly influences the popularity of women’s domestic soccer, a phenomenon evident not only in England but throughout Europe. Following the Women’s UEFA European Championship final in 2022, the subsequent season of 2022-23 witnessed the domestic leagues of the finalists, England and Germany, experience unprecedented growth in average attendance figures.
The WSL has sustained this upward trajectory, bolstered by England’s impressive performance as runners-up at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which propelled the league’s average attendance to surpass 7,300 in the 2023-24 season.
Overall, matchday attendance across European women’s soccer leagues has been on the rise since the 2021-22 season. However, with the absence of international tournaments throughout 2024, projections for attendance in the 2024-25 season remain uncertain.
The matches featuring top-tier clubs command the highest attendance figures across the WSL, Frauen-Bundesliga, Liga F, Division 1 Féminine, and Serie A Women. These clubs, which typically boast established fan bases, showcase the premier international soccer talent in Europe, with teams such as Chelsea, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and VfL Wolfsburg leading the way.
However, matches involving lower-tier teams often struggle to attract significant attendance numbers. This trend is not exclusive to the WSL but is observed throughout European leagues. For instance, in Spain’s Liga F, the top three matchups garner attendance rates approximately 18 times greater than those of the lower half of the league’s fixtures.
Women’s domestic soccer strongly relies on the elite clubs, and these are generally the wealthiest sides. As it stands, the other clubs outside the top three or four have no chance at competing. It is also an issue that these clubs don’t attract the same crowds as the top-tier teams.
The WSL relies on the high-profile fixtures between Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City. The league sees the most success when these fixtures are positioned as flagship events. Scheduling these high-profile matches during men’s international breaks has seen great success. In 2023-24, the WSL matches that were held during these windows reported an 80% increase in average attendance.
The Premier League is not afflicted by the issue of fan support. Clubs throughout the nation boast dedicated fan bases that consistently attend weekly games. However, the league has experienced a period of dominance by Manchester City, which has secured the title for several consecutive years, though this trend has not continued into the 2024-25 season, with Liverpool winning the title.
Regardless of league standings, from the teams at the bottom to those at the top, the Premier League consistently draws substantial crowds to all matches. Moreover, the league’s attendance figures are not contingent upon the success of international teams, underscoring the robust, independent appeal of domestic men’s soccer, especially across England.
Over the past year, the Lionesses have experienced a significant drop in form, failing to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on behalf of Team GB, and struggling through Euro 2025 qualification with unconvincing performances. Hopefully, the 2025 Women’s Euros will have the same effect on the WSL as the previous two international tournaments.
It may not be right to put the sole success of the WSL on the Lionesses’ performances, however, they are intertwined. Still, there are far more deep-rooted factors that affect the WSL’s profile and popularity, including financial stability and the overall state of women’s soccer. WSL sides are continuously overlooked by their owners, who still prioritize the men’s sides.
As of the 2025-26 season, the Women’s Professional League Limited (WPLL), the company that oversees the top two divisions in women’s soccer in England, has changed the name of the Women’s Championship to the WSL2, bringing both divisions under one umbrella.
The logo of the top two divisions has also had a makeover. The WPLL has also changed its name to ‘WSL Football’. According to WSL Football, the rebranding is part of a wider mission to attempt to redefine how women’s soccer is both positioned and perceived in the UK.
The modification of the WSL logo will not address the underlying challenges within the league. A significant disparity is emerging between the top four WSL teams and the remaining teams. A change of logo isn’t going to alter that.
There is no straightforward solution to the challenges that have been identified. However, it is crucial to remember that the WSL is still in its nascent stages, especially when compared to the well-established Premier League. Drawing direct comparisons between the two leagues may be unduly harsh.
Nevertheless, the WSL requires an infusion of excitement to maintain fan engagement. Competitive matches must extend beyond the top four clubs. Increased focus and financial backing for women’s teams are imperative from club owners, rather than relegating these teams to mere afterthoughts.
