Populous Report Highlights Matchday Opportunity For Women’s Football
Populous has launched a new report examining how stadium design and the wider matchday experience can help women’s football clubs grow regular attendances in the UK.
UK Women’s Football: Designing the Future of Matchday, produced using original research from YouGov Sport, combines survey data, consumer trends and Populous’ venue-design expertise to identify the factors that influence attendance.
The study says the industry now faces an “experience gap”: translating the surge in interest that followed England’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 success into sustained support for domestic clubs, after recent Women’s Super League attendance growth began to level out.
YouGov Sport surveyed 2,000 women’s football fans across the UK. The sample comprised 1,000 “Established Fans” who had attended a match in the previous five years and 1,000 “Potential Fans” who had not attended but would consider doing so.
The research covered interest and engagement, matchday priorities, seating and viewing, food and drink, fan zones, digital interaction and premium experiences. It found that a welcoming, family-friendly environment was the leading influence on matchday enjoyment, ranking ahead of team success and on-pitch performance for both audience groups.
Maria Knutsson-Hall, Senior Principal and EMEA Women’s Sport Lead at Populous, said: “Interest in the women’s game has never been higher, and building on that momentum means creating matchday experiences that give supporters reasons to attend and keep attending.
“Design has an important role to play in that journey. By better understanding what different audiences value, clubs have an opportunity to create venues and experiences that reflect the unique character of women’s football and support the game’s long-term growth.”
Attendance & Fan Priorities
– Among fans who had attended a women’s match in the previous five years, 48% had never attended a WSL fixture and 81% had never been to a WSL2 game. By comparison, 54% had attended a women’s international.
– Some 43% of Established Fans described themselves as casual supporters, while only 15% attended women’s football at least monthly.
– Greater comfort outweighed proximity to the pitch: 63% of Established Fans and 72% of Potential Fans preferred more legroom and easier seat access.
– Comfortable seating and dining, shelter and screens showing live sport ranked as the most popular fan-zone features.
– Some 46% of Established Fans said they would pay more for higher-quality food and drink, while 58% were neutral or dissatisfied with the current offer at the ground they attend.
Populous said the findings give clubs a clearer basis for investing in venues and operations that encourage supporters to attend more often, return regularly and build a stronger relationship with their club.
