The Football Association is discreetly sure that the record participation for a Women’s FA Cup last will be broken when West Ham meet Manchester City on Saturday.
As of Wednesday evening, 52,000 tickets had been sold and appropriated for the amusement at Wembley. Under-16s go free and complimentary tickets have been issued, which means there will probably be some drop-off, however, sources state deals keep on being solid and with less complimentary tickets appropriated than in earlier years, the group should break the 45,423 records set when Chelsea beat Arsenal in a year ago’s conclusive.
The desire for a record crowd comes regardless of the Premier League declining West Ham’s solicitation to present their men’s game from a 3pm commencement against Southampton. Some West Ham fans have said they will leave their dead-elastic Premier League match at half-time to make it to the 5.30pm begin at Wembley.
This year residential association participation records in Europe have been broken. In January 48,212 viewed Athletic Bilbao’s 2-0 rout by Atlético Madrid, and after two months the Spanish record was broken again when 60,739 went to the Wanda Metropolitano for Atlético’s diversion against Barcelona. In Italy a record 39,000 watched Juventus beat Fiorentina in March.
The record assistance for women’s football in England was set in 1920 when 53,000 viewed the Dick, Kerr Ladies against St Helens Ladies at Goodison Park. Britain drew the participation of 45,619 for an amusement against Germany at Wembley in 2014. Meanwhile, Manchester City is aiming for a cup double in the Women’s FA Cup final on Saturday to make up for losing out to Arsenal at the end in the league.
City beat Arsenal in the League Cup final in February but was unable to catch the north London club in the Super League, despite a perfect campaign. Now they have a chance to add the FA Cup to their trophy list in a Wembley meeting with West Ham before the season ends with a visit to Arsenal when only pride will be at stake.
“Congratulations to Arsenal, they deserved to win the league.”“We’ve still got the chance to finish on a high with a trophy though, especially if the forecasts of a record crowd are correct.
“There have been some unbelievable crowds watching women’s football in Europe this season, and to get potentially 50,000 at Wembley would underline the interest in the women’s game in this country,” said England and Manchester City captain Steph Houghton before Saturday’s game.
Manchester City can be seen as the clear candidates to win the trophy, as they’re not strangers to Wembley or cup finals, but West Ham has made it to the showpiece after only been in their first season in WSL football. As they say: In football, everything could happen.
Anyways, it’s for sure that it’ll be a clash to see and enjoy at Wembley Stadium this Saturday. A match that could be remembered as one of the greatest audience records in Women’s football history in England.
WOMEN IN FOOTBALL: THE GLASS CEILING 