Women are setting records. First in Spain. Now in Italy. In a few short months, the Women’s World Cup kicks off in France and signs are pointing to a surge in eyes that are on the women’s game in Europe.
A mere week after the global record-setting attendance of 60,739 in La Liga Feminina Iberdrola at Wanda Metropolitano, another first for women’s football happened: 39,000 fans streamed into Allianz Stadium to watch Juventus and Fiorentina, shattering the previous Italian women’s soccer record of 14,000. It’s worth noting that tickets were free and the capacity of Allianz is 45,000, so it’s not a complete victory for the women’s game. But it was a win for the defending champions. Juventus won 1-0 and sit atop the league table with a 4-point lead. Will the U.S. be the next to show their support of the women’s team? They certainly have the chance to do so in league play this year. The NWSL season begins on April 13th . The current record is 23,403 back in 2016 at the Florida Citrus Bowl when Houston Dash was defeated by Orlando Pride. The USWNT play Belgium in a friendly on April 7th in the well-loved and ideally-located Banc of California Stadium. Unfortunately, even at full capacity, Banc of California can’t beat that. Time for some changes…
For those noting the huge crowd at the Juventus women's game today, here's something else to know:
The #USWNT plays in a 68.500-seat stadium in the Bay Area on Mother's Day. The cheapest ticket is $57 with all fees, plus $40 for parking, and the upper deck is not being sold.
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) March 24, 2019
featured image: courtesy Juventus FC Women
