One in three football fans in the UK started following the women’s game since England’s major success at Euro 2022, new data by FotMob reveals.
Not only did that fateful evening under the arch of Wembley Stadium alter the course of English football’s history for decades to come, it has also reshaped the football fandom.
A new study conducted by FotMob with 2,000 UK football fans has revealed that almost two thirds of football fans (32.2%) began following the women’s game over the last five years. The study had 30.1% of fans citing Euro 2022 and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cupas their entry point into the world of women’s football.
FotMob now has over 160,000 Lionesses followers on their data site, making England’s women the fifth most-followed team in the UK – across both the men’s and women’s game.
Participation in women’s football has increased since Euro 2022 | FotMob
Euro 2022 catalysed a popularity explosion for women’s football
Not only has the fandom reach increased, but so has the participation. Since July 2022, the number of women and girls playing football in the UK has increased by 56%, as per findings from The FA.
Deloittehas also reported that matchday income in the WSL has jumped 73%, from £7m to £12m year-on-year, adding that the 2023/24 WSL season became the first where all 12 clubs generated over £1m in revenue.
Mike Backler, FotMob’s Head of Global Partnerships, said, “The Lionesses didn’t just win a trophy in 2022 – they changed the face of football. We’ve seen first-hand the incredible growth in women’s football fandom, and it’s clear that this summer’s Euros could be another landmark moment.
“FotMob is proud to support that growth by providing unrivalled coverage of over 40 women’s competitions worldwide on the app and we’re working hard to meet the demand for more.”
