Top 5 Most Attended Matches in Women’s Football History

Women’s football is breaking records like never before. From a forgotten final in Mexico City in 1971 to sell-out nights at Camp Nou and Wembley, the women’s game has proved it belongs on the world’s biggest stages.

Three of the five largest crowds in history have come in just the past few years. It’s clear proof that the rise of women’s football is unstoppable – and here to stay. Here are the five matches that drew the biggest audiences the game has ever seen.

5. 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro Final – England vs Germany (87,192)

• Date: July 31, 2022
• Venue: Wembley Stadium, London

Host nation England faced Germany in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final at London’s Wembley Stadium. The crowd of 87,192 set a new record for women’s football in England. It was also higher than any previous Euro final, men’s or women’s.

The match was packed with drama. Ella Toone lifted the roof with a sublime chip to put England ahead. Germany equalised late through Lina Magull, pushing the game into extra time. Then came the decisive moment. Chloe Kelly poked home the winner and ripped off her shirt in celebration. Her iconic celebration echoed Brandi Chastain’s 1999 World Cup moment and captured the raw emotion of victory.

The triumph delivered England’s first major football trophy since 1966. That fact carried extra weight. Women’s football had once been banned in England, yet now it was rewriting history at the nation’s most famous stadium.

“I think England have hosted an incredible tournament and we’ve changed the game in this country – and hopefully across Europe and across the world,” Williamson said the next day​, reflecting how this record crowd and triumph were game-changers for women’s football.

The cultural impact was huge. Tens of thousands joined a victory party in Trafalgar Square. Media coverage was wall to wall. Across the country, the feeling was the same: football had finally come home on the women’s side.

4. 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final – United States vs China (90,185)

• Date: July 10, 1999
• Venue: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, USA

The 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup final previously held the official attendance record for a women’s match. A packed house watched the United States and China battle to a 0–0 draw through 120 minutes.​

The drama peaked in the penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Briana Scurry made a crucial save to hand the USA an advantage. Brandi Chastain then stepped up and scored the decisive spot-kick with her left foot. Her celebration – shirt off, fists raised – became one of the most iconic images in sports history.

This final wasn’t just a soccer match; it was a cultural watershed in the U.S. “The victory changed the social fabric for women athletes in (the) USA,” Chastain reflected years later​.

The impact went far beyond the final whistle. The tournament’s success led to the launch of a professional women’s league in the U.S. Participation in girls’ football soared. Global audiences had witnessed a defining moment, one that proved women’s football could fill stadiums and captivate millions.

3. 2022 Champions League Quarter-Final – Barcelona vs Real Madrid (91,553)

• Date: March 30, 2022
• Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

El Clásico fever swept into the women’s game in 2022. Barcelona hosted Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final second leg at Camp Nou, and history was made. A total of 91,553 fans packed the stands, beating the previous world record set in 1999.

At kick-off, the stadium looked half full after an evening rain shower. But as fans poured in, empty seats disappeared and Camp Nou filled to near capacity. The supporters were rewarded with a spectacular contest. Barcelona led 3–1 from the first leg, but Madrid shocked the crowd by taking a 2–1 lead on the night.

Then the comeback began. Aitana Bonmatí and Clàudia Pina struck early in the second half, swinging the momentum back to the hosts. Barcelona powered through to win 5–2, sealing an 8–3 aggregate victory.

The atmosphere was unforgettable. A giant mosaic in the stands spelled out “More Than Empowerment,” while chants echoed across the stadium deep into the night. Barcelona’s official account summed it up: “Culers, the world record for attendance at a women’s football match is ours!”

This wasn’t just about numbers. It proved a women’s match could capture the same passion, intensity, and scale as the men’s game. It also set the stage for another record-breaking night at Camp Nou only weeks later.

2. 2022 Champions League Semi-Final – Barcelona vs Wolfsburg (91,648)

• Date: April 22, 2022
• Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

Just three weeks after breaking the world record against Real Madrid, Barcelona did it again. Camp Nou welcomed 91,648 fans for the Champions League semi-final first leg against VfL Wolfsburg. It was another record-setting night, this time officially recognised by FIFA.

The stands were a sea of Blaugrana flags and colour. The noise never stopped as the crowd urged the team forward. On the pitch, Barcelona delivered a performance to match the occasion. Alexia Putellas, the Ballon d’Or winner, scored twice in a dominant 5–1 victory.

The attendance number grabbed global headlines. A Champions League semi-final drawing nearly 92,000 fans would have been unimaginable only a few years earlier. Now it was a reality, a clear sign of how far the women’s game had come.

“It is something spectacular what happened today – and almost a month ago – it leaves us speechless,” Barcelona midfielder Patri Guijarro marveled, trying to fathom the moment​. She added, “we’ll be a little more aware of the magnitude in days or even years… how special it is to experience a day like this”​.

Barcelona’s back-to-back record crowds in 2022 showed the appetite for top-level women’s football is vast. The matches proved that the biggest stadiums can be filled – and that demand for the women’s game is only growing.

1. 1971 World Cup Final (Copa ’71) – Mexico vs Denmark (Est. 110,000 – 112,500)

• Date: September 5, 1971
• Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico

The largest crowd in women’s football history came more than 50 years ago. On September 5, 1971, an estimated 110,000 fans packed Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca for the final of the Women’s World Cup. The tournament was not FIFA-sanctioned, but the scale of the event was unprecedented.

The atmosphere was electric. Mexican supporters filled the stadium with flags, horns, and chants as their team, nicknamed Las Ticas, took the field. Hopes of a home victory, however, were dashed by Denmark’s teenage sensation Susanne Augustesen. Just 15 years old, she scored all three goals in a 3–0 win for Denmark.

Despite the defeat, the Mexican fans never stopped cheering. Contemporary reports described the turnout as “stunning,” and the figure still stands as the highest known attendance for a women’s match.

The legacy of Copa ’71 is complicated. The crowd showed the world that women’s football could capture mass support. Yet, because the event lacked official recognition, its momentum faded. For years the women’s game remained underfunded and overshadowed.

English coach Harry Batt, whose team participated, proclaimed, “I am certain that in the future, there will be full-time professional ladies’ teams in this country.”​

Only now, as modern record crowds approach that number, is Copa ’71 being rediscovered. It stands as both a symbol of unrealised potential and a reminder that the passion for women’s football has always been there – waiting for the world to catch up.

The Bigger Picture

Each of these record-setting matches – from the forgotten final of 1971 to the Camp Nou classics of 2022 – highlights the remarkable rise of women’s football. What was once sidelined and underestimated is now filling some of the world’s most iconic stadiums. The fact that three of the top five attendances have come in just the last few years speaks volumes about the sport’s momentum.

These crowds are more than just numbers. They are cultural earthquakes – moments when the roar of tens of thousands signalled a shift in how women’s sport is seen and celebrated. Record attendances are both the product of progress and the fuel for further growth. Big crowds bring bigger stages, which in turn inspire new generations of players and fans.

The message is clear. Women’s football is a global movement that has been building for more than 50 years – and the world is watching, filling stadiums, and writing the next chapter in its history.

You can watch the documentary Copa 71, released in 2023, on all major streaming services