They came in their numbers from all around to Wembley. The UK, Europe and beyond. 77,390 of them. A record for a women’s club game in England. A world record for a women’s domestic cup match.
By now, that shouldn’t be a surprise. Not after the success of the Lionesses last summer when over half a million fans passed through the turnstiles up and down the country.
17.4 million watched England beat Germany in the final on television.
To think that a decade ago, just under 5,000 fans went to Doncaster for the FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Bristol Academy.
A year ago, 49,094 fans came to Wembley for the Women’s FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City.
77,390 fans crammed into Wembley for the women’s FA Cup final on Sunday afternoon
The number is a record for a women’s club game in England and a world record for a women’s domestic club match
The numbers should no longer be a surprise – they have sky rocketed since England won the Euros
At the time, that was the record for a women’s club game in England.
The Euros happened and it galvanised a nation.
Turned players into household names and inspired a generation.
Nothing would ever be the same.
The 60,063 that flocked to the Emirates on Bank Holiday Monday two weeks ago was the record breaking again.
Thousands of parents and children walking along Wembley Way.
Players have now turned into household names and inspired a nation – nothing will ever be the same
It’s now hard to think of a Women’s FA Cup final taking place anywhere else but Wembley
Ticket touts trying to cash in on the demand. The press box filled with journalists and content creators. It’s all normal now when it comes to women’s football.
It’s hard to think of a Women’s FA Cup final taking place anywhere else. One half bathed in red and the other in blue. Even a certain Avram Glazer decided to turn up for the party.
After all, it was the first time Man Utd had reached Wembley since they were re-formed in 2018.
It was the Glazers who disbanded Man Utd’s women team in 2005 following their takeover.
That it took them until 2018 to have a senior women’s team is staggering to say the least.
To think that the likes of Fred and Victor Lindelof signed for Man Utd before they even had a women’s team.
Even Avram Glazer – who was part of disbanding United’s women’s team – was present
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes (left) has the better of United’s Marc Skinner, with the Red Devils boss without a win over Hayes in ten games
Sam Kerr was the difference as her 27th goal of the season as Chelsea listed their third consecutive FA Cup
In the end, the FWA Women’s footballer of the year was the difference as Sam Kerr’s 27th goal of the season took Chelsea to their third successive FA Cup.
The Australian has scored in all three of those finals.
For Marc Skinner’s Man Utd, it their tenth game against Emma Hayes’s Chelsea in all competitions and still they remain without a win.
Surely their time will come but for now, while some things change for the better, some things are staying just the same.